Organizer: ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute

Description:

Hopes for political stability after a tumultuous period following the fall of the “grand, old” Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition in 2018, multiple prime ministers and the pandemic rested on a decisive outcome at Malaysia’s general election in November last year. It did not come. Voters sent back the first hung parliament in Malaysia’s history. Eventually, Anwar Ibrahim was able to cobble together an arrangement of convenience to form a government and fulfill a lifetime’s ambition of becoming prime minister.

It has been well documented that Anwar’s own coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH), only managed to win a small share of the Malay vote. A majority of Malaysia’s ethnic majority voted for the opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN), which includes the Islamist Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS). Anwar has spent the first few months of his premiership attempting to shore up support in the Malay community. This has proved challenging as he carries with him significant political liability in the form of his partner in government, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). The party is led by Zahid Hamidi, now deputy prime minister, who still faces 47 charges of corruption and money laundering.

The seminar will dive into whether Anwar can win over Malay voters, especially in the upcoming six state elections scheduled in two months. This will be an important barometer for Malaysia’s political stability and the Anwar-led government’s longevity. The analysis will also focus on whether PN will continue to make inroads into urban territories held by PH at the state polls and assess whether the much-discussed “green wave” is of concern to Malaysia’s multiracial population.

Click here to register.