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Anwar - who has spent more than two decades as an opposition
figure - became prime minister last month, forming a government
with rival political blocs after an election that produced a
hung parliament.
He has promised to convene parliament on Monday for a confidence
vote to prove his lower house majority, after rival and former
premier Muhyiddin Yassin cast doubt on his support.
Anwar is Malaysia's fourth prime minister since 2020, after two
previous administrations collapsed due to political turmoil.
Malaysia this year passed laws to prevent future party
defections, but the new rules do not stop political coalitions
from switching allegiances as a bloc.
According to Anwar and other coalition leaders, the parties
agreed to ensure political stability after years of turmoil,
spurring the economy, good governance, and upholding the rights
of the country's majority Malay community and Islam as its
official religion.
"We agreed on the broad parameters and broad policies including
to ensure the government is stable," he said after a ceremony
where political party chiefs signed the pact.
"We concede that no party managed to have a clear majority,
therefore... it makes a lot of sense that we have to achieve
this sort of understanding based on shared principles and
policies."
They promised to improve development in the Malaysian states of
Sabah and Sarawak in Borneo island. Support from Borneo-based
blocs is crucial for Anwar to maintain his majority.
His government also includes the previous ruling coalition
Barisan Nasional, which he spent much of his political career
seeking to overthrow.
Barisan had ruled Malaysia for more than six decades before
being voted out in a 2018 election amid widespread corruption
allegations.
It returned to power last year, but was ousted again in last
month's polls - coming in third to Anwar's and Muhyiddin's
coalitions.
(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor,
Martin Petty)
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