Malaysia appeared poised for a new round of political turmoil after opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim claimed to have enough support from lawmakers to form a government.
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin denounced the move on Wednesday and challenged Anwar to prove his assertion, while saying his administration remains firmly in control. Key members of his coalition signed a joint statement to reaffirm support for the premier, although the leader of the United Malays National Organization ¡ª the largest in the ruling bloc ¡ª said ¡°a few¡± members are supporting Anwar.
Malaysian politics has been wracked with instability this year following the collapse of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad¡¯s government in February. While Muhyiddin eventually cobbled together a coalition and took office in March, he¡¯s only managed to command a majority of a handful of votes in Malaysia¡¯s 222-member parliament.
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