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Malaysia's PM Anwar wins motion of confidence in Parliament

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia's Parliament on Monday (Dec 19) passed a motion of confidence for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, a vital win for his premiership after an election last month returned an unprecedented hung parliament.

The confidence motion on Mr Anwar Ibrahim’s premiership has been passed in the Malaysian parliament in a simple voice vote, said its speaker Johari Abdul.
The confidence motion on Mr Anwar Ibrahim’s premiership has been passed in the Malaysian parliament in a simple voice vote, said its speaker Johari Abdul.
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KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia's Parliament on Monday (Dec 19) passed a motion of confidence for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, a vital win for his premiership after an election last month returned an unprecedented hung parliament.

Mr Anwar had convened parliament to prove his majority, after rival and former premier Muhyiddin Yassin cast doubt on his support.

The confidence motion was passed by a simple voice vote — with lawmakers voicing their support — after the opposition argued against it because Mr Anwar has already been officially sworn in as Prime Minister by the monarch.

So it is unclear exactly how many of the country's 222 Members of Parliament supported the motion.

Mr Anwar, 75, who is also serving as the nation's finance minister, took steps to cement his support last week by signing a cooperation pact with smaller political parties.

The parties agreed to ensure political stability, spur the economy, foster good governance, and uphold the rights of the country's majority Malay community and Islam as its official religion.

Mr Anwar — who has spent more than two decades as an opposition figure — had previously been denied the premiership despite getting within striking distance over the years.

In between, he spent nearly a decade in jail for sodomy and corruption in what he says were politically motivated charges.

In the closely-contested polls last month, Mr Anwar's Pakatan Harapan bloc did not win a simple majority. But he was appointed by Malaysia's King and proceeded to form a coalition government with the help of other political blocs.

His new government includes the previous ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN), which he spent much of his political career seeking to overthrow. 

Monday's motion for a vote of confidence was tabled by Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof and seconded by the other Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is president of BN.

Mr Fadillah said that in view of the global economic outlook which is expected a recession next year, it was important for the government to get the support from all MPs.

“This will strengthen the confidence of investors, the business community and the people (in the government),” he said.

The motion was debated by 12 MPs, including new Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin from Mr Muhyiddin's Perikatan Nasional coalition. 

The session saw several heated exchanges between former allies-turned-political foes, notably on the issue of the legitimacy of the government and the memorandum of understanding (MoU) supporting Mr Anwar recently signed by the five parties that make up the current unity government. AGENCIES

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