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Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad claimed that the opposition alliance he leads had won enough parliament seats in Wednesday’s general election to form the next government.
Official results from the Election Commission of votes cast showed that Prime Minister Najib Razak’s ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (BN), had so far won 25 of parliament’s 222 seats and Mahathir’s alliance had won 16.
Unofficial tallies of the ongoing vote count by media showed different figures, including one that put the opposition ahead of Najib’s coalition, reports Reuters.
A simple majority of 112 seats is required by a party or alliance to rule, a number 92-year-old Mahathir said his Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) believed it had won.
“We believe that from our official counting that they’re left far behind. The likelihood is that they will not be forming the government,” Mahathir told reporters, referring to the prime minister’s coalition.
Reuters sought comments on Mahathir’s claims from the Election Commission and the ruling coalition, but there was no immediate response from either.