As Prime Minister Muhiddin Yassin’s leadership is challenged, his position is likely to strengthen the victory in the Sabah state.
The ruling coalition of Malaysian Prime Minister Muhiddin Yassin has won a crucial state election, a vote widely seen as a referendum on his seven-month rule.
The victory of the Sabah state in Borneo is likely to strengthen Muhiddin’s position as he faces a leadership challenge from opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who said this week that he has a parliamentary majority to overthrow the prime minister.
Muhiddin’s Perikton National (PN) coalition and its allies won 38 of the 73 seats in Saturday’s election, which was previously controlled by the opposition state.
Muhiddin had earlier said that a victory in Sabah could pave the way for early national elections to end uncertainty over the stability of his ruling coalition, which has a two-seat majority in parliament.
Fanatical government
Analysts warned that for Muhiddin, defeat in the eastern state of Sabah could mean the end of his imaginary coalition government.
Muhiddin came to power in March after forming a coalition with opposition parties following the shock resignation of his predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad.
Opponents of Muhiddin have accused him of stealing power by changing alliances instead of ballots, and his allies have been pressuring him for months to call a national referendum to get a stronger mandate.
While the outcome did not directly affect the balance of power at the national level, it was a key test of Muhiddin’s popularity.
If it had weakened, the coalition partners might have withdrawn their support from their government and forced a national referendum.
Malaysian Prime Minister Muhiddin Yassin says victory in Sabah state could pave way for early national elections [File: Lim Huey Teng/Reuters]The first test
But Bridget Welsh, a Malaysian expert at the University of Nottingham, warned that Muhiddin’s troubles were over.
“He passed the first major election exam, but barely,” he told the AFP news agency. “He lives a man on borrowed time.”
Earlier this week, opposition leader Anwar claimed that he had the support of a majority of members of parliament, and said that Muhin’s coalition had broken down.
However, he declined to confirm the number of MPs while the king who appointed the country’s prime minister has postponed the visit to meet him due to ill health.
Adib Zalkapalli, director of BowerGroupAsia, a political risk adviser, told Reuters news agency that with Sabah’s victory, Muhiddin’s coalition could now confidently lead the federal coalition in the general election.
“He will use the victory to deny any challenge to the federal leadership.”
Malaysia’s economy comes at a time of power struggles unleashed by the effects of the COVID-19 epidemic.
Muhidin has announced an stimulus package of 505 billion ringgit (.1b.1 of િયન billion), with additional measures announced just three days before the Sabah polls.
