Former premier Muhyiddin Yassin and veteran opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim are locked in a race to become Malaysia’s next prime minister. Whichever man wins power will have to contend with an increasingly popular hardline force.
Parti Islam Se-Malaysia, or PAS as it’s known, won the most seats of any single party in Saturday’s election, more than twice as many as Muhyiddin’s own group, and is poised to hold considerable sway in government if he clinches the top job. Should it go to Anwar, PAS will wield its influence as a key part of the opposition. The party has a long-stated objective of transforming Malaysia into an Islamic state, prompting concerns its ultra-right agenda may damage the country’s democracy and economy.
King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah invited Anwar and Muhyiddin to the palace Tuesday as he deliberates over who to appoint as prime minister. Muhyiddin said he turned down a request from the monarch to form a unity government with Anwar’s coalition, saying his alliance had a majority in its own right. The king plans to meet members of a third coalition, Barisan Nasional, on Wednesday, to assess which side it wants to back.
