The starting gun has been fired for another round of elections in Malaysia, with six states in the country due for polls that observers believe will offer the first real test for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s fragile coalition government.
Some 9.78 million voters – in a country of 32 million people – will be eligible to vote in the statewide contests in the Peninsular Malaysia states of Selangor, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan, Kedah and Terengganu.
Selangor, which along with Penang and Negeri Sembilan is aligned with Anwar’s federal government, dissolved its state assembly on Friday, while Kelantan – which is governed by the Islamist-leaning opposition along with Kedah and Terengganu – dissolved its assembly a day earlier.
Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) coalition flags in Petaling Jaya in Selangor, which dissolved its state assembly on Friday. Photo: AP
The remaining four state assemblies are expected to be dissolved next week, in preparation for polls that are seen as likely to take place in the last week of July or in early August. Polls must be held within 60 days of the dissolution of the state assemblies.
Expectations are for the Anwar-aligned coalition to retain the highly industrialised states of Selangor and Penang as well as Negeri Sembilan.
“Losing even just one state would be horrible. In fact, reduced seats in their states are also worrisome,” said Syaza Farhana Mohamad Shukri, an associate professor of political science at the International Islamic University Malaysia.
A big win by the opposition alliance could put pressure on Anwar and jeopardise the sentiment of stability, she was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.
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From prison to Malaysia’s new leader: Anwar Ibrahim appointed to top seat
Anwar became prime minister in November after the king picked him for the job, on condition that he form a unity government that included long-time political rivals in a bid to cool temperatures after a deeply divisive general election.
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The November polls saw a distinct shift in support among the majority Malay Muslim voters towards the Malay nationalist Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, which forms a formidable opposition bloc in parliament.
PN, which has 74 Malay MPs in the 222-seat parliament, hit the ground running in its preparations for the state contests. On Thursday, it announced that seat negotiations had concluded between its three component parties – PAS, Bersatu and Gerakan – and that they would field candidates in all 245 seats up for grabs in the six states.
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“The election machinery for Perikatan Nasional at the states are at the highest level [of readiness] and are committed to facing the state elections to defend three states and win three more,” the coalition said in a statement.
The results of the clutch of state polls will not have a direct implication on Anwar’s federal administration, but they are seen as an important barometer of his popularity and that of his unity government, especially among the Malays who account for more than 60 per cent of the population.
The outcome of the contests is also expected to set the tone for the federal government’s policy direction, especially if results show diminished support from the Malays.
PAS and PN supporters in Penang during Malaysia’s general election in November 2022. The Malay nationalist coalition forms a formidable opposition bloc in parliament. Photo: Reuters
PAS leaders have said Anwar’s unity government could be in jeopardy if PN is able to win five out of the six state elections.
“If we can defend Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah, as well as capture Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, god willing the federal government will be challenged and it is not impossible that it will fall,” said PAS Deputy President Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, as quoted by party organ Harakah Daily.
Negotiations between Anwar’s PH alliance and new allies Barisan Nasional – led by former ruling party Umno – had yet to be concluded with decisions still pending for nine seats where both sides had overlapping claims, PH communications director Fahmi Fadzil said on Tuesday according to a report by national newswire Bernama.
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