UPDATE - Malaysia's premier wins vote of confidence

UPDATES WITH RESULT OF VOTE OF CONFIDENCE, CHANGES HEADER, DECK, EDIT THROUGHOUT

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim won a vote of confidence on Monday, weeks after being appointed as chief executive by the country's king.

Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof had moved the motion which was passed through a voice vote after at least two hours of debate.

"The voice vote is a testimony that 148 or 2/3 of 222 MPs (members of parliament) support Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister. Let’s move on," Digital Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil told reporters after the parliament sitting.

Anwar needed at least 112 votes.

Earlier today, in its first sitting, the Malaysian parliament elected its new speaker.

Johari Abdul was elected the new speaker of the parliament, locally known as Dewan Rakyat, replacing Azhar Azizan Harun.

Johari’s name was proposed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim which was supported by deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Today's sitting of the 222-seat parliament also administered oaths to the newly elected lawmakers.

A reformist leader, Anwar, 75, is leading the unity government, formed among his Alliance of Hope or Pakatan Harapan (PH), National Front, or Barisan Nasional (BN) and Sarawak Parties Alliance or Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).

Malaysia held its 15th general elections on Nov. 19 which threw up a hung parliament of 222 seats. PH was leading with 82 seats.

Anwar announced his Cabinet of 27 members last Friday, including two deputy prime ministers – Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of the BN and Fadillah Yusof of the GPS.

According to a memorandum of understanding signed among the parties of the unity government, “any lawmaker who votes against the government will be deemed to have resigned.”