Opposition leader Anwar named Malaysia PM

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been named prime minister, the palace said in a statement on Thursday, ending a days-long political impasse after inconclusive polls.

"After taking into consideration the views of Their Royal Highnesses the Malay Rulers, His Majesty has given consent to appoint Anwar Ibrahim as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia," the statement said.

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At the weekend election, Anwar's Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) coalition won the most seats, 82, on an anti-graft message -- but fell short of the required 112-seat majority.

Former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin's Perikatan Nasional (National Alliance) bloc grabbed 73.

Muhyiddin, who was backed by an Islamist party, later told reporters that since no bloc had enough numbers, the king had initially asked him and Anwar to form a "unity government".

Malaysia's king, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, had summoned the two rivals in a bid to break the deadlock.

Agence France-Presse