Malaysia king calls meeting of royals to break political deadlock

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia´s king has called for royal rulers to meet on Thursday to resolve a political impasse that left the country without a prime minister days after inconclusive polls, the palace said.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin remain the frontrunners for the top job.

Malaysia´s king, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, has the discretionary power to appoint a premier whom he believes has the majority of lawmakers´ support.

The palace said Wednesday the meeting of the country´s Malay rulers is aimed at helping the king "make the decision for the benefit and well-being of the country and the people".

Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy, with a unique arrangement where the throne rotates every five years between rulers of the nine Malaysian states headed by centuries-old royalty.

The system has been in place since Malaysia´s independence from Britain in 1957. (AFP)