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The Significance of Malaysia's State Elections

Aug 11, 2023 | 18:47 GMT

A woman casts a vote at a polling station during Malaysia's general election on Nov. 19, 2022.
A woman casts a vote at a polling station during Malaysia's general election on Nov. 19, 2022.

(MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images)

State elections in Malaysia could trigger another political crisis if members of the country's fragile federal government perform poorly, opening the door to political instability that could negatively impact the economy. Six of Malaysia's 13 states, representing roughly half of the country's electorate, will hold assembly elections on Aug. 12. The main contenders are the parties that take part in the federal government, primarily the Perikatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) coalitions (though each will run separately), along with the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition. Each coalition currently controls three states. While these are only state elections, a poor performance by the government parties would weaken Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's heterogeneous coalition....

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