If you told experienced political observers just three days ago that Muhyiddin Yassin would be Prime Minister at the end of Malaysia’s recent political crisis, you’d have been resoundingly dismissed. But that’s exactly what happened. On March 1, 2020, Muhyiddin Yassin of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU) was sworn in as the eighth Prime…
Almost two years after regime change in Malaysia, Malaysians were treated to a spectacle of political turmoil as Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad handed in his resignation amid struggles between factions and parties over the course of a dramatic weekend. It’s been dizzying trying to catch up with the updates on social media. In this explainer,…
Amendments have been proposed to the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 to remove street protesting as a criminal offence. I speak to BFM 89.9 on the significance of this amendment, and what more needs to be done to protect the constitutional right to assemble. The podcast can be accessed here.
This article first appeared at The South China Morning Post on 8 May 2019, 1 of 6 series of articles in conjunction with 1 year since the historic 14th General Elections results on 9 May 2018. On May 9, 2018, after more than six decades in power, Malaysia’s ruling Barisan Nasional was voted out of…
A storm is brewing in the Southern State of Johor. There are reports suggesting that the palace is unhappy with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM)’s choice of Chief Minister. Tun Mahathir, who is head of PPBM, is not pulling any punches. What is the role of the monarchy in the appointment of Chief Minister? Do…