Malaysia's King has named reformist leader Anwar Ibrahim as the country's next prime minister after last week's elections produced an unprecedented hung parliament.
Mr Anwar was sworn in as PM by the monarch in an official ceremony on Thursday evening.
“The people should not be burdened by endless political turmoil as the country needs a stable government that will boost the economic landscape and national development”, Sultan Abdullah said.
Mr Anwar's opponent, former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, refused to accept the result, claiming his bloc had gained a majority of 115 seats in parliament after refusing to join a coalition requested by the king.
Mr Anwar’s Alliance of Hope led Saturday’s election with 82 seats, short of the 112 needed for a majority.
The incoming prime minister, 75, has had a turbulent journey to top office, coming close to the premiership several times.
He spent more than a decade in jail on what he said were politically motivated charges.
Mr Anwar was seen as former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad’s successor back in the 1990s and was expected to replace him after the 2018 election, only for the plans to unravel both times.
Mr Yassin said he would not join him in a coalition government, leaving Sultan Abdullah with no choice but to appoint a new prime minister to break the deadlock.
The former leader, who allied with an Islamist party in Saturday's vote, secured 73 seats with his National Alliance bloc. His party initially said it was willing to enter a coalition with "like-minded parties" but would not join forces with Mr Anwar's more progressive bloc.
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United Malays National Organisation president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, centre, arrives at his party's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. AP -
Opposition Pakatan Harapan (PH) supporters celebrate at an election event in Subang. Malaysia has its first hung parliament after competing parties failed to win a majority, stoking political uncertainty in an economy on a fragile rebound. Bloomberg -
The country's next government appears to be leaning to the religious right as voters abandoned a coalition of Malay nationalists led by Mr Zahid's party. AFP -
The reformist PH bloc led by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, centre, won 82 seats to beat the Malay-centric Perikatan Nasional alliance, led by former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, which won 73 seats. AP -
Mr Muhyiddin leads an alliance that includes the religious Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party led by Abdul Hadi Awang, centre. AFP -
Mr Abdul Hadi's party more than doubled its number of seats to 49 this year, from 18 in 2018. AFP -
Mr Zahid, who is fighting dozens of corruption charges, faces pressure to resign after the UMNO's second drubbing at the polls. AP -
The campaign flags of Malaysia's ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, blue, and Mr Anwar's PH, red, in Kuala Lumpur. AP -
A man casts his ballot at a polling station in Seberang Perai, Penang state. AP -
Mr Muhyiddin delivers his speech after the announcement of the results in Subang, Malaysia. AP -
Mr Muhyiddin shows his inked finger as he casts his ballot at a polling station in Muar, a city in Malaysia's Johor state. AFP -
Former Malaysia prime minister Mahathir Mohamad casts his vote at a polling station in Kuala Kedah, a district in Malaysia's Kedah state. Mr Mahathir lost in his longtime constituency of Langkawi, his first defeat in 53 years. AFP -
Mr Anwar and senior PH leaders celebrate during a press conference in Subang district, Kuala Lumpur. EPA -
Members of the media watch voting results as they are announced at PH's camp in Subang, Malaysia. Bloomberg -
Mr Anwar, centre, insists his alliance won a simple majority. EPA
His co-operation with the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) stoked fears of division in the multi-ethnic country, with PAS advocating rule based on a strict interpretation of Sharia.
On Wednesday, TikTok said it was on “high alert” and in touch with Malaysian authorities over content related to the elections on its platform. Security was boosted across the country and police urged social media users not to post "provocative content" ahead of the vote.
Mr Anwar “has been seen to be a bridge builder across communities, which will test his leadership moving forward but at the same juncture offers a reassuring hand for the challenges that Malaysia will face”, political expert Bridget Welsh told AFP.
His rule is hoped to usher in a much-needed economic recovery and ease ethnic tension laid bare in the elections at the weekend.
