Malaysia PM wins opposition support as Parliament resumes

Barely a month in office, Malaysia’s new leader has won opposition support to shore up his fragile government in exchange for a slew of reforms as Parliament reopens

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Barely a month in office, Malaysia's new leader has won opposition support to shore up his fragile government in exchange for a slew of reforms as Parliament reopened Monday. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will sign an unprecedented cooperation pact later Monday with the main opposition bloc led by Anwar Ibrahim that will prevent any bid to undermine his rule ahead of general elections due in two years. The pact will give Ismail the backing of 88 lawmakers in Anwar's bloc, in addition to 114 that support him in the 222-member house. The government and Anwar’s alliance said in a joint statement late Sunday that their bipartisan cooperation will “restore political stability in the country to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and revive the economy.” They said they will focus on strengthening governance and parliamentary reforms.