Voters wearing masks yesterday cast their ballots in a Malaysian state election that pits Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s Malay party against its allies in the government for the first time amid a widening rift.
The poll in southern Malacca state is seen as a bellwether for voting behavior that could shape political alliances in national elections, which are not due until 2023, but are widely expected to be called next year.
The state poll would see a three-way fight between a camp led by Ismail’s United Malays National Organization (UMNO), another by ally parties Bersatu and the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) and the opposition alliance led by Anwar Ibrahim.
Photo: AP
UMNO and Bersatu, the two biggest parties in the ruling alliance, are at loggerheads, but have agreed to share power until the next general election.
Voters lined up, one meter apart, outside schools and other polling centers to have their temperature scanned before being allowed to cast ballots for 28 state assemblypersons. A total of 112 candidates are contesting, leading to tight races for all the seats. Nearly 500,000 people were eligible to vote until 5:30pm.
The Malacca polls were called after the UMNO-led state government collapsed when four assemblypersons pulled their support.
A victory would be a boost for UMNO, which had led Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957, but was ousted in 2018 elections by Anwar’s reformist alliance amid a multibillion-dollar financial scandal.
Anwar’s alliance crumbled last year after Muhyiddin Yassin withdrew his Bersatu party and formed a new government with UMNO, PAS and several other parties. Muhyiddin was forced to resign in August after infighting cost him majority support. Ismail, who was Muhyiddin’s deputy, then took office, bringing back UMNO’s rule.
Most observers believe the main fight is between UMNO and Anwar’s opposition alliance, as Bersatu lacks grassroots political support.
A big win for UMNO could potentially lead to challenges in ruling party states that are helmed by Bersatu, accelerate plans to call for early general elections and may prompt PAS and other parties supporting Bersatu to review their alliance, analysts said.
Campaigning in Malacca, which is about a two-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur, has been muted amid strict rules as the country emerged from a COVID-19 lockdown last month after a successful vaccination roll-out.
Political rallies, walkabouts and house visits were banned, taking the campaigning to social media and making results unpredictable.
The polls come as Malaysia gradually reopens its borders to vaccinated travelers.
The country has vaccinated more than 76 percent of its population, including most adults.
Daily infections have dropped dramatically to about 6,000 from its peak of more than 20,000 in August.
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