Malaysian court deals blow to PM

[Coventina]

Source: BBC

Malaysia's high court has announced that the ruling coalition's takeover of a state government was illegal, and handed power back to the opposition.

The ruling is an embarrassing defeat for new Prime Minister Najib Razak.

The court said the opposition People's Alliance should have been allowed to hold a no-confidence vote when it lost its parliamentary majority in February.

Perak state has become the focus of a power struggle between Malaysia's ruling party and the People's Alliance.

The state's reinstalled chief minister, Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, is expected to call fresh state elections.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8044215.stm