AKIPRESS.COM - President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov extended congratulations to Mahathir Mohamad on election as Prime Minister of Malaysia.

"I firmly believe that friendly and mutually beneficial relations between our countries based on the principles of reciprocal respect, understanding and trust will continue to develop to meet the interests of the two peoples," the Turkmen leader said.

The former PM, 92, came out of retirement and switched to the opposition to challenge his former protege Najib Razak, who has been beset by corruption allegations.  His historic win has ousted the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which has been in power since independence in 1957.