Opposition leader and former President, Mohamed Nasheed has congratulated the Malaysian opposition, following their ‘historic democratic win’ in the general elections.

In a tweet sent out on Thursday morning, the former president congratulated the Malaysian people ‘for standing up against authoritarian rule and demanding peaceful democratic regime change’.

He congratulated the country’s former Prime Minister and opposition alliance’s leader Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and to be deputy prime minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and her husband, former deputy prime minister, currently incarcerated, Anwar Ibrahim and their daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar- a politician and parliament member- for the ‘historic democratic election win’.

While Malaysia has, since its independence from the British in 1957, been ruled by the same coalition of parties, the Barisan Nasional, the opposition’s historic win had come as a shock to most observers. However, PM Najib Razak has accepted defeat, saying that he accepts ‘the verdict of the people’.

Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, a former member of the country’s largest political party and a founding member of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, left the party over ‘misappropriation’ allegations against PM Najib Razak. While the 92-year-old is set to be sworn in as PM on Thursday, he has promised to hand over power in two years, due to his age. Reports indicate his former ally Anwar Ibrahim, who is to be released in June 2018, is to succeed him.