Senior politician Anwar Ibrahim appointed as the new Prime Minister of Malaysia

 KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition leader and senior politician Anwar Ibrahim has become the country's new prime minister.

According to the statement issued by the Palace of the King of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim was appointed as the new Prime Minister of Malaysia by King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.

Anwar Ibrahim's party and its allies won 82 seats in the recent elections and managed to secure the prime ministership with the support of other smaller parties. Anwar Ibrahim was the deputy prime minister of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in the 90s. He was sentenced to prison on corruption and other charges.

In early general elections in Malaysia, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was defeated for the first time in 53 years.