Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar sails through confidence vote

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim completed a vote of confidence on Monday, cementing his leadership after last month’s general election failed to produce a clear winner. Anwar, whose coalition led the November 19 election with 82 seats, subsequently formed a unity government with several smaller rival parties. But, former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s Malay-centric opposition alliance, which has 74 parliamentary seats, questioned his legitimacy.

The vote was a show of strength intended to remove doubts over his authority to govern and the stability of his administration. On Friday, Leaders of parties in his government agreed on a cooperation pact for a five-year term, giving him the backing of 148 lawmakers, a two-thirds majority that no leader has had since 2008.