COMMENTARIES

16 Apr 2021

Anwar Ibrahim and Zahid Hamidi – Forbidden Phone Friends?

Francis E. Hutchinson|Kevin Zhang

An audio clip of a conversation between Anwar Ibrahim and Zahid Hamidi has given Malaysians a ringside seat into the shady backroom dealing between two of the nation’s prominent politicians. Genuine or not, the political interests of the two men have increasingly converged.

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

11 Mar 2021

Zahid’s Sources of Stress: The Clobbering of UMNO’s “Court Cluster”?

Francis E. Hutchinson

UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is typically the embodiment of calm. Going forward, however, Zahid and his faction will have to hunker down to confront multiple challenges.

Corruption Malaysia Malaysian Politics UMNO

Malaysia's Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin

12 Jan 2021

Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional: Parlous State of Political Limbo

Norshahril Saat

Bersatu, the party of Malaysia’s prime minister, is running out of options to keep itself at the reins of power.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics UMNO

25 Nov 2020

Muhyiddin Needs to Unite UMNO’s Factions Behind Him

Norshahril Saat

Prime Minister Muhyiddin’s clock is ticking, and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is holding it.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics UMNO

5 Apr 2017

UMNO’s U-Turn on RUU 355: What Makes Coalitions Stick in Malaysia?

Nicholas Chan

The Barisan Nasional government's U-turn on changes to RUU 355, which will give the syariah courts more extensive powers, suggests that the coalition dynamics of politics are behind the move. Put simply, the coalition’s survival is equally, if not more important than UMNO’s electoral appeal.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics UMNO