Umno president Zahid emerges as unlikely kingmaker in Anwar's bid to be PM

President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi heads the most powerful faction in deeply divided Umno. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's latest political turmoil, triggered by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's bid to claim the premiership, has thrown up an unlikely kingmaker - Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid, the previous deputy premier in the scandal-hit administration of former prime minister Najib Razak, heads the most powerful faction in deeply divided Umno, and how he plays his cards in the coming days will determine the longevity of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's administration as well as whether Datuk Seri Anwar succeeds in his bid for the country's top post.

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