Malaysia said Wednesday it will hold elections in six states in August, a vote analysts described as an “unofficial referendum” on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition government.
While the state elections will not affect Anwar’s two-thirds majority in parliament, analysts said his hold on power could weaken if his party suffers a major setback.
Malaysia’s Election Commission said voting will be held in the states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan on August 12.
Of the six states, Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition holds three, while the others are controlled by a powerful rural-based Malay Muslim alliance led by ex-leader Muhyiddin Yassin.
“These polls are important because many people think that this is an indirect referendum on the Anwar government,” James Chin, a professor of Asian studies at the University of Tasmania, told AFP.
Oh Ei Sun, of the Pacific Research Center of Malaysia think tank, said that Anwar’s grip on power could become shaky if he loses one or more of the states held by his party.
“Subsequently, MPs currently supporting him may have second thoughts… which could translate into negative federal results for them in the next general election,” Oh told AFP.
Anwar became prime minister last November following a political impasse that saw his party win the most seats in general elections, but falling short of an outright majority to form a government.
This forced him to ally with former foes to secure a two-thirds parliamentary majority and approval from Malaysia’s king to form a “unity government”.
The coalition has held so far, bringing political stability to the country which had seen three leadership turnovers in as many years after scandal-tainted Najib Razak was voted out as prime minister in 2018.
If Anwar succeeds to wrest one or more of the states not under his party’s control, it would bolster his position such that “he is likely to enjoy a full term”, Oh said.
If Anwar loses Selangor or Penang, Chin said, “it will be a major political crisis” for him.
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