ARTICLES

30 Sep 2022

Zahid Hamidi’s Acquittal: Darker of Darkest Days?

James Chai

UMNO president Zahid Hamidi is leveraging his recent acquittal in a corruption case. But the jury is out as to whether the day has dawned for the party going into the next general elections.

21 Jul 2022

Malaysia Must Pursue A New Order of Stability via Democracy

Liew Chin Tong

UMNO President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has publicly argued that Malaysia should return to the old order with UMNO as the singular dominant party and Barisan Nasional ruling with two-thirds majority. It is important for the nation to ask, what sort of new political order should emerge?

Malaysia Malaysian Politics UMNO

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

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

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

30 Aug 2021

Resetting the Security Sector in Malaysia

Liew Chin Tong

Given the pressing domestic and external challenges that Malaysia is facing, it is high time for a refreshed National Security Council that will be able to coordinate policy at the highest level.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics Security 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

5 Aug 2021

UMNO Withdraws from Perikatan: September Blues for Muhyiddin?

Norshahril Saat

Malaysia Prime Minister Muhyiddin pulled off a historic coup in February last year, when he ditched the then-ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition to form a new government. Eighteen months on, he might soon be getting a taste of his own medicine.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics UMNO