Malaysians vote in six state elections seen as referendum on PM Anwar

Ballot counting is underway after voting has ended in state elections in Malaysia, where Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s multi-coalition government is seeking to reinforce its position against the opposition.

As of 0800 GMT (4 pm local time), or two hours before voting ended on Saturday, the Election Commission said turnout was between 60 percent and 70 percent in each of the states.

The final turnout has not been tallied, but it appeared lower than the overall target of 85 percent by the commission. The poll results will be known later Saturday.

Nearly 9.8 million people, or half the country’s electorate, are eligible to elect 245 assembly members in six states that account for more than half of Malaysia’s gross domestic product.

The polls are widely viewed as an early referendum both on Anwar’s leadership and the strength of the opposition after the general election in November.

While the local elections have no direct impact at the federal level, the outcome could signal whether Anwar’s government can last a full five-year term.

The two contending coalitions currently control three states each.

If the opposition takes control of states led by Anwar’s bloc or otherwise has a strong showing in state polls, analysts say it will put pressure on Anwar and could undermine the country's political stability.

Loose alliance

Before Anwar came to power in November, Malaysia had three prime ministers since 2018 after lawmakers switched support for political mileage.

Malaysia’s politics were thrown into disarray after November’s general election. Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) alliance won the most seats but failed to win a majority after many ethnic Malays threw their support behind the Perikatan Nasional (PN) bloc, led by former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

The PN bloc includes the conservative Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), which emerged as the largest single party in Parliament. At the behest of the nation’s king, rival parties came together to form Anwar's unity government.

The support of the once-dominant United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and other smaller parties gave Anwar a two-thirds majority in Parliament, but analysts say this loose alliance is perceived as unstable and needs stronger support from the Malay majority.

In a Facebook video Friday, Anwar urged Malaysians to vote wisely. He has said a win for his unity government will save the country from racial and religious bigotry and appealed for time for his government to deliver on its promises for reforms.

The rise of PAS, which espouses a theocratic state and has long positioned itself as a defender of Islam and Malays, partly reflected a growing religious conservatism among Malays. Despite a poor economic track record in the three states it rules, PAS retained loyalty through its religious agenda.

In a Facebook post this week, PAS hard-line leader Abdul Hadi Awang implied that the opposition could topple Anwar’s government if it swept all six states.

If Anwar fails, it could prompt allies in his government to rethink their partnership. A shift in allegiance could plunge the country into new turbulence, analysts said.