ARTICLES

11 Dec 2023

PAS’ Prime Minister Candidate: Great Expectations

James Chai

Parti Islam SeMalaysia is touting a technocratic parliamentarian as the opposition coalition’s prime ministerial candidate. Dr Samsuri Mokhtar has his work cut out for him.

27 Nov 2023

Anwar’s First Year: Performative and Underperforming

Khairy Jamaluddin

Anwar Ibrahim’s ascent to the country’s highest office last year was accompanied by a surge of expectations in his reformist government. One year on, however, his administration has lost some of its shine.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

9 Nov 2023

PAS’s Long-Term Play Is to Go Its Own Way

James Chai

Parti Islam SeMalaysia, the political party which has the most seats in Parliament, intends to capture the reins of federal power. This time, however, it plans to do so on its own.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

6 Nov 2023

Abdul Hadi Awang Enhances His Power as PAS President and Drives the Party to the Far-Right

James Chai

This Long Read examines how PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang consolidated his influence since 2015 to lead the party to its current political high.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

27 Oct 2023

Firmly by Palestine’s Side: Behind Malaysia’s Response to the Israel-Gaza Crisis

Julia Lau|Francis E. Hutchinson

Malaysia’s PM Anwar Ibrahim has not minced his words in upbraiding Israel and its supporters for their response to the worsening crisis in the Gaza territories. His motivations are driven by compelling domestic factors and a long-held political stance on Palestine.

Malaysia Middle East

25 Oct 2023

The Challenge for PAS: Going Mainstream

Norshahril Saat

The recent annual general assembly by Parti Islam SeMalaysia was relatively uneventful, with key leaders including Abdul Hadi Awang retaining their positions. If the party is eyeing federal power in Putrajaya, however, it would need to prove its governance credentials.

Malaysia Malaysian Elections

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (2ndL) and his deputy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (L) wave during the 66th National Day celebrations in Malaysia's administrative capital Putrajaya, on August 31, 2023. The country commemorates the independence of the Federation of Malaya from British rule in 1957.

6 Oct 2023

Johor By-elections: A Cautionary Tale For The Unity Government

Kevin Zhang

The recent by-elections in Johor are a shot across the bow for the Unity Government.

Malaysia Malaysian Elections Malaysian Politics

22 Sep 2023

PAS Needs More Than a Mahathir

Norshahril Saat

It appears that Parti Islam SeMalaysia and Mahathir Mohammad have buried the hatchet. If PAS intends to bank on the former statesman’s political capital, it would find that there will be limited upside.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

Anwar Ibrahim supporters hold Pakatan Harapan party flags as they celebrate Anwar swearing in as Prime Minister outside Istana Negara palace in Kuala Lumpur on 24 November 2022.

19 Sep 2023

Anwar’s Unity Government: Striding Forward or Just Moonwalking?

Francis E. Hutchinson

Anwar Ibrahim’s Unity Government has survived some stern electoral tests of late. But he has his work cut out going forward.

Malaysia Malaysian Elections Malaysian Politics

13 Sep 2023

Malaysia Post-PRN2023: Stay the Course or Change Direction?

Khairy Jamaluddin

In this dialogue, which follows on his May 16th podcast, “Defining Tests for UMNO, Anwar and the Unity Government”, Khairy Jamaluddin discusses the main arena of those defining tests: the August 12th Peninsular state elections (PRN2023).

Dialogues at Fulcrum Malaysia Malaysian Politics