Today, politicians need to adapt to a new game, and to new rules. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri recently declined Anwar Ibrahim’s invitation to debate with other party leaders. Ismail justified his stance by claiming that "debate is not in our culture". The prime...
Category: Opinion Pieces
CSIS | Spotlight – Malaysia: October 2022
Photo: MOHD RASFAN/AFP/Getty Images (CSIS) Malaysia’s highly anticipated General Elections will be held on November 19, preceded by a 14-day campaign period. The Election Commission has set the candidates’ nomination day to November 5. Parties have just over a week to...
CSIS | Spotlight – Malaysia: September 2022
Photo: MOHD RASFAN/AFP/Getty Images (CSIS) On the eve of a potential election in Malaysia, political parties are getting in order of battle. The exact date of the general election remains unclear, and it is not due until September 2023. However, recent cues indicate...
CSIS | The End of Kleptocracy in Malaysia?
Photo: ARIF KARTONO/AFP via Getty Images (CSIS) Najib Razak, former prime minister of Malaysia, had his 12-year sentence for abuse of power and corruption upheld on August 23. It is the first time in the country’s history that a former prime minister has been sent to...
CSIS | Spotlight – Malaysia: July 2022
Photo: MOHD RASFAN/AFP/Getty Images (CSIS) Parti Keadilan Rakyat held its 16th annual convention this weekend, confirming a major change in direction for the party. Keadilan’s inner politics have wide-ranging repercussions, as the party is the historical socle of...
CSIS | Spotlight – Malaysia: June 2022
Photo: MOHD RASFAN/AFP/Getty Images (CSIS) In late May, members of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR, or Keadilan) led by Anwar Ibrahim elected their new leaders. Keadilan is the first party in Malaysia to have implemented a direct-democratic electoral system for party...
CSIS | Spotlight – Malaysia: April 2022
Photo: MOHD RASFAN/AFP/Getty Images (CSIS) The 1MDB case, the largest (known) financial scandal in Malaysia’s history, is taking another turn with accusations of corruption and conflicts of interest against Nazlan Ghazali, the judge who sentenced former prime minister...
CSIS | Spotlight – Malaysia: March 2022
Photo: MOHD RASFAN/AFP/Getty Images (CSIS) While many observers expect Malaysia’s next general election to be held in July or August, parties’ negotiations have intensified over the possible creation of a new political configuration for the opposition. The question is...
CSIS | In Johor Election’s Wake, Malaysian Politics Stay Turbulent
Photo: ARIF KARTONO:AFP:Getty Images (CSIS) In Malaysia, politics never sleep, and the first quarter of 2022 has revealed new plots and plans. The recent state election in Johor has given the upper hand to the former ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (BN), led by the...
South China Morning Post | Will Malaysia’s Johor polls herald the start of a new opposition front?
Photo: Bloomberg Malaysia’s major political parties are preparing for the Johor state election on March 12. The campaign in the state with the country’s third highest GDP after Selangor and Sarawak started on February 27. The political battle will test traditional...