ARTICLES

Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA), convene at the 2nd MUDA Central Executive Committee (JKEP) Meeting on 13 April 2026 to discuss the upcoming session at the Johor State Legislative Assembly in May. (Facebook Amira Aisya Abd Aziz / Facebook)

8 May 2026

MUDA’s Next Phase: Leadership Transition and GE16 Strategy

Ooi Kok Hin

Some observers have written off MUDA’s electoral prospects ahead of the next general elections in Malaysia. This might be a tad premature.

Members of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party display placards reading "Maintain the Kelantan Sharia Enforcement" outside the Palace of Justice (background) in Putrajaya as they await the Federal Court's decision on Kelantan state's sharia law criminal enactment. (Photo by Mohd RASFAN / AFP)

21 Apr 2026

Gender Reassignment in Kelantan: Complex Questions Arising from Institutional Inflexibility

Mohd Faizal Musa

The prosecution of an individual in Kelantan for undergoing gender transition underscores system inflexibility which ignores the higher objectives of sharia.

Law Malaysia Malaysian Politics

16 Apr 2026

Sarawak’s Delineation: A Test for the Election Commission’s Credibility

Ooi Kok Hin

Leveraging its growing political clout, Sarawak is pushing for a re-delineation of state seats. This could result in boundary changes to federal parliamentary seats and alter the balance of power.

Malaysia Malaysian Elections Malaysian Politics

A man fills diesel in a lorry at a Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (PETROS) station, an oil and gas exploration firm established and owned by the government of Sarawak, in Kuching in the Malaysian state of Sarawak on Borneo island on 20 June 2025 (Photo by Mohd RASFAN / AFP)

9 Apr 2026

More Than a Legal Battle: The Political Stakes of the Petronas-Sarawak Dispute

Amalina Anuar

Malaysia’s highest court will decide on the dispute between Petronas and the state of Sarawak. But a legal ruling will not obviate the need to manage the political consequences of the dispute.

Energy Malaysia Malaysian Politics

26 Mar 2026

Malaysia’s Oil Shock Absorption: Adding Agility to the Subsidy Regime

Lee Hwok-Aun

As global oil prices seesaw in the wake of war, Malaysia’s government has a chance to think ahead and reduce any potential sharp swings.

Economy Malaysia Malaysian Economy Malaysian Politics

18 Mar 2026

LGBTQ Issues in Malaysia and the Politics of Conservative Modernity

Syaza Shukri

Malaysia’s ruling government has a tough balancing act to pull off on the reform front.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

Perikatan Nasional (PN) Chairman Dr. Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar at the meeting of the National Finance Council in Putrajaya, Malaysia on 5 March 2026. (Photo from Dr. Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar / Facebook)

16 Mar 2026

Perikatan Nasional’s Opposition Leader Dilemma

Norshahril Saat

Perikatan Nasional has been in a pickle over who will assume the role of opposition leader. While it has finally been decided that PAS should lead the coalition, PN’s marketability as a viable alternative to the ruling coalition remains in doubt.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

13 Mar 2026

Running of Kuala Lumpur: When Demographics Stand in the Way of Direct Polls

Ooi Kok Hin

There are sound reasons for Kuala Lumpur to have a directly elected mayor. Such a technocratic solution, however, has been bogged down in the mire of ethnic anxieties.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics