KUALA LUMPUR – Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and former deputy premier Ismail Sabri Yaakob are neck-and-neck in the race to become Malaysia’s next prime minister, sources tell The Straits Times, but as at Tuesday (Aug 17) both men are still short of the 111 lawmakers’ support needed for a simple majority in Parliament.

The Straits Times understands that Datuk Seri Anwar, who leads the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and is Parti Keadilan Rakyat president, has the backing of at least 105 lawmakers with 88 of them hailing from his coalition.

Sources say Datuk Seri Ismail, who is an Umno vice-president, has the support of at least 105 MPs. Discussions among Umno lawmakers on their candidate were continuing on Tuesday night

Earlier Umno was said to be planning to name three candidates for the prime minister post – Mr Ismail, former foreign minister Hishammuddin Hussein and veteran statesman Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.

Malaysia’s Parliament has 222 seats, of which two seats remain vacant. This means a simple majority of 111 MPs is currently required to form government.

Horse trading among Malaysia’s political leaders continued on Tuesday ahead of the deadline set by the King for lawmakers to declare their choice to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Local media reported that the deputy prime minister post has been offered to Parti Warisan Sabah president Shafie Apdal, provided he lends support to Mr Anwar for the top job.

Mr Anwar has been eyeing the premier post for decades.

“PH’s request for Warisan’s support of their eight MPs is crucial and this is why the offer of the deputy prime minister post was made to Shafie to butter up the deal,” said a source quoted by The Star.

“This is also because Shafie is expected not only to bring eight Warisan MPs, but may also be able to bring along with him at least two MPs from Pejuang, one from Upko and two more from PSB. He seems to be taking the bait as we know that calls have been made to support him as deputy prime minister,” the source added, referring to Parti Pejuang Tanah Air, United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation and Parti Sarawak Bersatu.

However, Warisan Youth chief Mohd Azis Jamman said the party would only back the Port Dickson MP if he could prove that he has sufficient support to command a simple majority.

“Warisan will support Anwar for PM if he can get past the magic number and hopes that PH will give right of first refusal to Shafie if Anwar can’t get past the magic number,” he said on his Twitter account on Tuesday.

The race for the premiership was jump-started after Tan Sri Muhyiddin tendered his resignation on Monday, having lost his majority after 15 Umno MPs withdrew their support for him.

The King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah has set a deadline of 4pm on Wednesday for Malaysia’s 220 MPs to submit, via letter to the palace, their choice for who should be the country’s next prime minister.

Meanwhile Mr Muhyiddin himself might make a comeback, after local media reported he held 35 signed statutory declarations from MPs, although it is not known who the declarations support.

It is believed most of the declarations are from his Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, which has agreed to support his choice of candidate.

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