Malaysia's new lawmakers take oath of office to join Parliament after historic polls

Malaysia's newly elected lawmakers took the oath of office Monday to join a revamped Parliament, which for the first time in 40 years has a huge opposition presence that threatens to unseat the government.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, whose National Front coalition suffered stunning losses in the March 8 elections, was the first one to take the oath, followed by Cabinet ministers and other lawmakers.

"Being chosen as member of Parliament , I vow to honestly fulfill my obligations as such," said Abdullah, dressed in a black and gold traditional Malay shirt and cap.

He said he would give "true loyalty to Malaysia" and defend the Constitution, reading the Malay-language oath in the Dewan Rakyat, or People's Chamber _ the decision-making 222-member lower house of Parliament.

The other lawmakers read out the same oath.

Since the opposition has more numbers now "they may want to speak more, they may want to criticize more. It is our duty to respond accordingly, " Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar told reporters. "Both sides have a role to play," he said.

Parliament will formally open Tuesday when Malaysia's constitutional monarch, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, addresses the two houses of Parliament. The People's Chamber will then meet for a 16-day first session until May 27.

For the first time in Malaysia's history, the opposition leader in Parliament is a woman _ Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, head of the People's Justice Party.

Wan Azizah said Parliament will more lively after decades of virtual one-party rule.

"We will be highlighting many issues about the economy, corruption, and judicial transparency," she said.

Wan Azizah is the wife of former deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the brains behind the party as well as the chief strategist of the opposition alliance that includes his party as well as the left-leaning Democratic Action Party and the religion-based Pan Malaysian Islamic Party.

Anwar brought the three groups together to present a united opposition to Abdullah's National Front in the general elections, scoring spectacular gains that boosted the opposition's total strength in Parliament from 19 to 82. The National Front was reduced to 140 seats _ the first time since 1969 that it failed to win a two-thirds majority.

There will also be a record 24 women members of Parliament, including 10 from the opposition.

Anwar did not contest the elections, being barred from holding public office because of a corruption conviction. The ban expired on April 14 and he is likely to contest a by-election to enter Parliament later this year.

Anwar says the corruption conviction was the result of trumped up charges by then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad during a power struggle. He was also convicted of sodomy but that conviction was overturned.

The first session of Parliament will be keenly watched for signs of possible defections by National Front members to the opposition. Anwar has claimed he has the support of at least 30 government lawmakers, enough to bring down the government.

If the government collapses before Anwar enters Parliament, the prime minister's post will go to his wife in her capacity as the leader of the opposition in the house.

Asked if she will become the country's first woman leader, Wan Azizah said: "There may be a chance if there are enough members of Parliament on our side. Wait for the right time."