Ismail Sabri Yaakob was sworn in as Malaysia’s third prime minister in 18 months on Saturday, heralding the return of a pro-Malay party that has dominated politics for decades and as the focus on reviving a pandemic-ridden economy becomes more urgent.
The monarch presided over the swearing-in ceremony for Ismail, 61, the deputy leader of the previous government and a longtime member of the United Malays National Organisation. He was earlier determined by the king to command support of 114 lawmakers in the 220-member parliament.
Usually playing a ceremonial role, the king has the power to appoint the prime minister based on who he believes commands a parliamentary majority. That hasn’t been easy to figure out, with members of both ruling and opposition parties regularly switching sides over the past 18 months.