Mahathir, Anwar try to ease rift within coalition

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and jailed politician Anwar Ibrahim tried to ease a rift within the ruling alliance on Sunday after differences erupted between their supporters over Cabinet positions.

The four-party alliance scored a historic victory in Wednesday’s general election over the long-ruling Barisan Nasional government, but the emergence of a rift so soon is raising questions about the unity of what was always an unlikely coalition.

In a statement from his hospital bed, Mr. Anwar said he had told members of his People’s Justice Party (PKR) to ensure that Mr. Mahathir’s government “remains strong and stable”.

Cabinet formation

But he also said that, in a conversation with Mr. Mahathir, he had raised PKR’s demand for “more inclusive negotiation”, a reference to the formation of the Cabinet.

Mr. Mahathir is the alliance leader and Mr. Anwar’s PKR, with 48 seats, is the biggest party in the alliance in terms of the number of seats won. Mr. Mahathir announced just three Ministers on Saturday, to join himself and Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Mr. Anwar’s wife, in the Cabinet.