Malaysia’s Anwar in talks with arch-rivals despite anti-graft pledge

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said on Monday he is in talks with the party of ex-premier Najib Razak, who is in jail for corruption, to form the next government after an inconclusive election.

Anwar´s multi-ethnic coalition, which campaigned on an anti-corruption ticket, won 82 seats in Saturday´s election, the most of any bloc but still short of the majority needed to form government.

Malaysia, one of Southeast Asia´s biggest economies, has had three changes of government in as many years, underscoring recent political instability. Saturday´s election offered no immediate solution to that impasse, only more of the political horsetrading that have characterised recent polls.

“I am still very optimistic that we will be able to form a government, more transparent, more democratic and to safeguard the interests of the people in Malaysia,” Anwar told a news conference.

Another bloc, headed by former premier Muhyiddin Yassin, has also claimed it has enough backing to form government with the support of the conservative Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS).

Malaysia´s king is poised to break the stalemate. Parties have been told to submit their preferred prime minister and coalition partners to the king´s palace, with a deadline extended to 2:00 pm local time (0600 GMT) Tuesday.

Anwar spoke after holding formal talks with the incumbent ruling bloc Barisan Nasional, which is dominated by Najib´s graft-tainted United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). He said the talks with his old foes were predicated on him becoming the prime minister, a dream he has held for more than two decades. An agreement with UMNO would give Anwar an extra 30 seats for a simple majority of 112.