World

Malaysia election: Opposition scores historic victory

May 9, 2018 4:10 pm

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has scored a historic victory in the country’s general election, official results show.

The election commission said Mr Mahathir’s opposition alliance had won 115 seats, over the threshold of 112 seats needed to form a government.

Mr Mahathir, 92, defeated the governing Barisan Nasional coalition, which has been in power for more than 60 years.

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He came out of retirement to take on his former protege, Najib Razak.

“We are not seeking revenge, we want to restore the rule of law,” Mr Mahathir told reporters.

He said he hoped a swearing-in ceremony would be held on Thursday.

With only a few seats left to count, official results showed Mr Mahathir’s Pakatan Harapan alliance, along with an ally in Sabah state, Borneo, had won 115 seats with BN on 79 seats.

Opposition supporters poured on to the streets in celebration as the results became clear.