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Agence France-Presse

Malaysia’s longest-governing party stormed to victory in closely watched state polls on Saturday, gaining a boost in power ahead of a general election.
The United Malays National Organisation (Umno) was the linchpin of a coalition that governed Malaysia for six decades until it was booted from power in 2018 following a storm of corruption allegations.
Former leader Najib Razak, who is appealing his criminal conviction over the state fund 1MDB graft scandal, led Umno’s election campaign.
After a period of political turbulence that saw two governments collapse, Umno clawed back to power at the national level three months ago, and reclaimed the premiership earlier this year.
Malaysia’s Najib eyes political comeback as Malacca state goes to the polls
The polls for the local legislature in the southern state of Malacca were a contest between Umno, its partners in the national government, and an opposition alliance.
The victory for Umno indicates it could do well in national elections.
It is also a big win for corruption-tainted Najib and could pave the way for Umno to dominate national politics again, analysts said.
“Umno won because they were much more disciplined. The biggest winner in this election obviously is Najib. He was the key person campaigning in Malacca,” James Chin, a political analyst from the University of Tasmania, said.

Najib was sentenced to 12 years in jail over the 1MDB scandal last year but remains free on bail while he appeals, and has been seeking to mount a political comeback.
Traditionally, Malacca has been an Umno stronghold, except when it lost leadership of the state in 2018.
Sweeping two-thirds of the seats, Umno and its alliances won 21 of the 28 seats contested while its partner in the government secured two seats.
The current national government, headed by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, came to power in August after his predecessor quit when he lost the support of his allies.
As Malaysia’s bumiputra policy turns 50, citizens debate impact of affirmative action
Faced with a coronavirus outbreak, the government and opposition signed an agreement to ensure political stability, under which parliament will not be dissolved for national elections until July next year at the earliest.
Rival parties are also seeking support ahead of the polls.
The result in Malacca is a big blow for veteran opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and his Pact of Hope alliance, which only won the remaining five seats.
That coalition won a historic victory at national polls in 2018, ejecting the Umno-led coalition from power.
But once in power, the alliance was driven by bitter infighting, and eventually collapsed in 2020.


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Malaysia

Malaysian ex-PM Najib Razak powers Umno to Malacca state election win

A Malaysian voter dips her finger on ink in Malacca, Malaysia. Photo: AP

FILE - Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak attend the parliament session at parliament house in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday, Oct. 15, 2018. A surprising disclosure in Parliament that former Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak may be gifted a house and piece of land estimated to be worth 100 million ringgit ($24 million) despite his conviction for graft has sparked opposition anger. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File)

Voters queue to enter a voting centre on the outskirts of Malacca, Malaysia. Photo: AP

Malaysia’s Najib eyes political comeback as Malacca state goes to the polls

Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak pictured during an interview in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year. Photo: Reuters

27 August 2021, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur: New Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announces the list of his new Cabinet during a press conference. Photo: Shazreen Zamzuri/BERNAMA/dpa

As Malaysia’s bumiputra policy turns 50, citizens debate impact of affirmative action

A worker pushes empty crates at a fruit market in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AFP 

A family at a home without water and power in Selangor. Malaysia’s NEP is designed to improve the lives of disadvantaged Malays and native groups. Photo: Shutterstock

Shacks are seen against the backdrop of the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AFP

Malaysia opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has long urged the country to shift to a ‘needs-based’ affirmative action programme. Photo: Reuters

Children make their way home after school in Kuala Lumpur. File photo: Reuters

Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Photo: Reuters

News

Asia

Southeast Asia


The result was a big boost for corruption-tainted Najib as Umno and its alliances won 21 of the 28 seats contested
The victory could pave way for Malaysia’s longest-governing party to continue dominating politics in next general election



The result was a big boost for corruption-tainted Najib as Umno and its alliances won 21 of the 28 seats contested.
