ARTICLES

18 Nov 2021

The Melaka State Election: Unwanted, Unwieldy, and Unpredictable

Francis E. Hutchinson|Kevin Zhang

The upcoming Melaka state election due on November 20 will be a useful barometer of the electoral fortunes of Malaysia’s shifting alliances and overlapping coalitions, particularly on the Peninsula.

12 Oct 2021

Malacca’s Political Crisis: A Microcosm of Fragmented Malay Political Alignments

Norshahril Saat

The collapse of the UMNO-led state government in Malacca throws up many questions about the ensuing feud between UMNO and Bersatu.

Bersatu Malaysia Malaysian Politics UMNO

31 Aug 2021

Malaysia’s New Cabinet: Same-Same, Minus the Buzz

Francis E. Hutchinson

The new Malaysian cabinet looks very similar to that of its Perikatan Nasional predecessor. By seeking to ensure continuity, new prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has sacrificed the new administration’s honeymoon period. It needs to generate some inspiring ideas.

Bersatu Malaysia Malaysian Politics UMNO

20 Aug 2021

Ismail Sabri as the New PM: An Uneasy Truce

Norshahril Saat

The appointment of Ismail Sabri Yaakob as Malaysia’s ninth prime minister is welcome. At best, however, his ascent represents an agglomeration of compromises between the players concerned. As the country experiences another Covid-19 surge, he will have his work cut out for him.

Bersatu Malaysia Malaysian Politics UMNO

13 Aug 2021

The Descent of UMNO

Khoo Boo Teik

Malaysia’s Umno has continued on its downward slide. In the culmination, this might well prove to be the revenge of Reformasi that begun as a popular revolt against the party more than two decades ago.

Bersatu Malaysia Malaysian Politics UMNO

19 Jul 2021

Revisit Two-Coalition System in Malaysia

Khoo Boo Teik

The recent jolts to Malaysia’s political landscape show that there is a strong basis for a return to a pluralistic and accountable two-coalition system.

Bersatu Malaysia Malaysian Politics UMNO

12 May 2021

The UMNO General Assembly and the Rocky Road Back to Putrajaya

Norshahril Saat

In the May 2018 general election, UMNO lost power for the first time in history but clawed back into government in March 2020 through defections from the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government. However, the party is now deeply split. A close examination of the positions of various UMNO leaders demonstrates that not all is well within the party, and its path to recapture Putrajaya is rocky.

Bersatu Malaysia Malaysian Politics UMNO

31 Mar 2021

UMNO Unites While Bersatu Prevaricates

Norshahril Saat

UMNO’s bid to rally the party ranks at its recent general assembly belies deeper problems ahead of the next general election.

Bersatu Malaysia Malaysian Politics UMNO

19 Aug 2016

Mahathir’s Bersatu is Best Understood as an NGO

Ooi Kee Beng

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, a new Malay-based political party, has been formed by Mahathir Mohamad to provide an alternative to UMNO and wins votes from the Malays.

Bersatu Malaysia Malaysian Politics