ARTICLES

31 Jan 2022

Parsing the UMNO-Bersatu Battle in Johor

Norshahril Saat

UMNO has certain advantages in Johor, but its victory in the coming state elections is not assured.

24 Jan 2022

Elections in Johor: Needlessly Nigh?

Francis E. Hutchinson

The Johor state assembly has been dissolved, paving the way for snap state elections to be held within the next 60 days. For those UMNO leaders seeking to boost their party’s momentum, this might not be the wisest of moves.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

20 Jan 2022

Seeing Red over Rising Prices for Greens

Amirul Adli Rosli

Malaysian netizens are seeing red over the government’s handling of rising prices for daily necessities. The reality is that much of the recent price hikes are due to factors beyond the government’s control.

Malaysia Malaysian Economy Malaysian Politics

17 Jan 2022

Malaysia’s Employees Provident Fund: An Emergency Populist Fund?

Lee Hwok-Aun

Hard questions must be asked of Malaysia’s depletion of workers’ hard-earned retirement savings. Was it justified to permissively sacrifice future income for present consumption? Did political interest thump economic analysis?

Malaysia Malaysian Economy Malaysian Politics UMNO

10 Jan 2022

Malaysia on the Cusp of a New Political Order

Liew Chin Tong

The discourse on Malaysia’s political history has been in flux for some time. This Long Read revisits the series of political, economic and social ideas that have sustained previous political eras and explores what is to come.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

29 Dec 2021

Form over Substance: A Threat to Livelihoods and Social Cohesion

Sharifah Afra Alatas|Faris Ridzuan

Recent trends in Malaysia show that religiously conservative ideas are no longer restricted to the Malay heartlands. There should be more space carved out for freedom of conscience, with less interference from state or civil society actors.

Islam Malaysia Malaysian Politics Political Islam Religion Religious Intolerance

26 Nov 2021

Perikatan Nasional’s Performance in Melaka: Worth a Double Take

Francis E. Hutchinson|Kevin Zhang

The Barisan Nasional victory in the recent elections in Melaka has hogged the headlines. But the performance of other coalitions, such as Perikatan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan, provides usual indicators for the next national polls.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

19 Nov 2021

Pakatan Harapan to Retake Melaka: Long Odds?

Kevin Zhang|Francis E. Hutchinson

The Pakatan Harapan faces long odds if it wants to return to govern the state of Melaka again. A deep dive into three key seats illustrates the challenges that the coalition faces in polls due tomorrow.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics Pakatan Harapan

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.

Bersatu Malaysia Malaysian Politics Pakatan Harapan UMNO

18 Nov 2021

Bumiputeras vs ‘the Others’ in Malaysia’s 2022 Budget: Moral Outrage is Not Enough

Lee Hwok-Aun

The UMNO-Perikatan-governed Bumiputera agenda forges on, with a zealousness that, if unchecked, will spell trouble. But the critique must go beyond moral outrage at the ethnic disparities in the budget and grapple with real alternatives.

Affirmative Action Identity Politics Malaysia Malaysian Politics