Malaysians go to the polls again on August 12. Six of the 13 states in the Malaysian Federation are holding elections.
The states have relatively little power in Malaysian politics, as state assemblies have limited authority and short sittings. But precisely because the past five years of federal politics in Malaysia have seen unprecedented instability and uncertainty, these state polls represent a test of faith in the new government of Anwar Ibrahim.
And while there is no direct mechanism by which the results of state polls impact on support for the federal government, the key test is how Anwar’s national unity grand coalition stands up to the scrutiny of voters.
