KUALA LUMPUR: Newly-minted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim secured the support of at least 117 members of parliament that gave him the legitimacy of becoming the 10th prime minister.

This majority count came before the 2pm extended deadline on Tuesday, for both Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) to show Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah the number of support they had.

It is understood that aside from its own 83 MPs, PH also has the support of 28 Barisan Nasional Dewan Rakyat members. Two had abstained, neither supporting PH or BN. One of them is an Umno Supreme council member, in the Top 5.

Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) added one vote in the race for support. 

Sabah-based Parti Warisan landed three for PH.

Meanwhile, the New Straits Times was made to understand that two Sarawak MPs had, on Tuesday, already extended their support to PH.

They had contested under the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) ticket.

GPS chairman Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg yesterday following Anwar's appointment said the coalition "would be part of a unity government in compliance with the king's decree".

He said it was Anwar's prerogative to form the government.

PN chairman Muhyiddin, just before Anwar was sworn in as prime minister, held a press conference to question Anwar's numbers.

Asking Anwar to prove that he had the majority of MP support, the former prime minister also questioned the deadline extension, which was supposed to be 2pm Monday.

He said he had on Monday submitted the statutory declarations (SDs) from 115 MPs to the palace.

It was reported that on Tuesday, just before the extra time granted by the king ended, BN leaders withdrew their SDs.

The numbers that was supposed to take PN to Putrajaya was supposed to have come from BN, GPS and GRS.