Muhyiddin, of the Perikatan Nasional coalition, said he had won support from two regional blocs based in the island of Borneo. That would boost his alliance's seat tally from 73 to 101 - still short of the required 112 majority.

"I am confident I will obtain enough support from lawmakers that will enable me to be appointed by the king as Prime Minister," he said, without saying which other parties might back him.

Longtime opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, whose Pakatan Harapan coalition won the most number of seats in the election with 82, is also racing to win support from other groups.

The inconclusive election saw Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's Barisan Nasional alliance suffer its worst electoral defeat ever, winning just 30 of the 178 seats it ran for.

It prolongs political uncertainty in the Southeast Asian nation, which has seen three prime ministers in as many years, at a time of slowing economic growth and rising inflation.

The instability reflects a transformation in a country that has been one of the most stable for decades in a region that has had its share of military coups, violent political upheavals, and insurgencies.