Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is at loggerheads again with the country's royals, this time over his appointment of a non-Malay as attorney-general.

Tun Dr Mahathir had, during his first stint as premier from 1981 to 2003, pushed back royal powers twice. However, the current clash comes as Parti Keadilan Rakyat's prime minister-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim is establishing closer relations with the palaces.

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