Defeat of Barisan Nasional: Missed Signs or Late Surge?
Francis E. Hutchinson and Lee Hwok Aun (Editors)
ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute: 2019
.

In 9 May 2018 Malaysia elected a new government, the Pakatan Harapan (PH, Coalition of Hope), defeating the ruling coalition, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) dominated by the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which together with its predecessor, the Alliance coalition, had ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957. PH secured 48 per cent of the popular vote and 118 of the 222 parliamentary seats, BN 34 per cent and seventy-nine seats, Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) 17 per cent and eighteen seats and Warisan 2 per cent and eight seats. Voter turnout totalled 82 per cent of the electorate, the second highest in Malaysian history.

Malaysia is a complex nation, both ethnically and regionally diverse. The population consists of Malays (55 per cent), Chinese (23 per cent), Indians (7 per cent) and others (15 per cent). In regional terms, the so-called Malay belt states on the east and northwest of the peninsula tend to be considerably more conservative than the west coast and southern states. The East Malaysian states, Sabah and Sarawak, less developed than those of West Malaysia, often vote on local rather than national issues.

• Tags: Carl Vadivella Belle, Faisal S. Hazid, Francis E. Hutchinson, Issue 19, Lee Hwok Aun, Malaysia, Meredith L Weiss