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 — the largest in the ruling bloc — 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.