Malaysia opposition forms alliance, PM faces revolt - Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's opposition parties agreed on Tuesday to form a coalition in an effort to present themselves as a credible alternative for government, while the main ruling party sank deeper into dissent.

The three main opposition parties won a record number of seats in parliament at elections on March 8, dealing the ruling National Front coalition the biggest setback in its 50-year reign and spelling trouble for the prime minister's future leadership.

"In today's meeting, it was proposed to consolidate the cooperation among the three parties under the name Pakatan Rakyat (People's Pact)," de facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim told reporters after a meeting with fellow party leaders.

Malaysia's opposition has been weak and ideologically divided for many years, comprising two parties that appeal mainly to urban, liberal voters and an Islamist outfit that attracts mainly rural votes and wants to turn Malaysia into an Islamic state.

The three parties tried once before to form a coalition with a single policy platform, during an election campaign in 1999. But the pact fell apart two years later over the issue of Parti se-Malaysia's (PAS's) call for the creation of an Islamic state.

Anwar, a former deputy premier, said the parties were still working on a common policy platform on Tuesday.

[More at http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-32785920080401]