Malaysia’s scandal-plagued political coalition won a decisive victory in local polls in Johor state on Saturday, giving it a lift ahead of expected national elections scheduled for next 12 months.
Barisan Nasional (BN) won 40 of 56 seats, winning a two-thirds majority in a contest wherein 239 candidates vied for control of the southern state’s legislature.
However, the coalition has since returned to the political forefront by allying with other parties, even when those alliances have been uneasy at times, and the victory in Johor gives it an additional boost, the analyst said.
Is a brand new opposition front emerging in Malaysian politics?
Is a brand new opposition front emerging in Malaysian politics?
“Not only will this be a boost, but it will actually serve as the basis for a new general election,” said Bridget Welsh, a Malaysia expert on the University of Nottingham.
“It is a recalibration of the entire political landscape where you will have a new impetus to return Umno to hegemony.”
Videos posted on social media showed BN supporters chanting “dissolve parliament” at their leaders as results were counted late Saturday.
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Will Malaysia’s latest state poll give Najib a get-out-of-jail-free card?
Facing 12 years in prison, Najib awaits a final appeal before the country’s highest court while he faces two other ongoing trials related to 1MDB.
The result was one other defeat for the Pact of Hope coalition led by veteran opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, which governed the state after the 2018 elections.
Anwar’s alliance also performed poorly in two state polls last 12 months, losing many seats to BN and its allies.
Why Malaysia’s opposition must sacrifice Anwar to win the following election
Why Malaysia’s opposition must sacrifice Anwar to win the following election
Johor was the fourth state to carry elections in two years within the Southeast Asian nation, as political turmoil since 2020 led to 2 recent prime ministers taking power and the autumn of three state governments.
With one or two exceptions, state polls in Malaysia normally run concurrently with national polls and are held once every five years.
The government and opposition had earlier agreed that parliament wouldn’t be dissolved for national polls until July to concentrate on the coronavirus pandemic.
However, recent victories have encouraged BN leaders to push for nationwide polls to be held no later than mid-2023.
