Campaigning is heating up ahead of Malaysia’s November 19 general election in what is set to be a tight race, with incumbent Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s Barisan Nasional (BN) facing off against coalitions led by veteran opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and ex-premier Muhyiddin Yassin as a wide array of smaller parties join the fray.
Fatigued by rising inflation and political instability, voters will decide the winners and losers from among a record 945 candidates vying for 222 parliamentary seats. Apart from BN, Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) – the country’s three main national alliances – a coalition led by two-time former premier Mahathir Mohamad is also making its debut.
Over 210 multi-cornered contests are expected, a factor that could split votes more than in previous elections. Analysts say the polls could yield a hung parliament where no single party or coalition wins a simple majority, an outcome that could result in a scramble for power where opposing alliances come together in a coalition of convenience to form the next government.
“If there is no coalition with a clear workable majority, what would happen is that some of the most opportunistic and Machiavellian elements in Malaysian politics may emerge,” said political analyst Chandra Muzaffar. “You may have people who want to be in power because they’ve got personal agendas, including staying out of prison or making sure that the law does not apply to them.”
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Nile Bowie is a journalist and correspondent with the Asia Times covering current affairs in Singapore and Malaysia. He can be reached at nilebowie@gmail.com.
