Can Malaysia’s Umno win back Malay voters for PM Anwar’s unity government in August state polls?

Umno has been tasked with challenging the near-ironclad grip of the Islamist PAS in the key states of Kelantan and Terengganu in next month’s state polls

The move could spur flagging morale among Umno grass roots, but the party’s corruption baggage still looms large for voters

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A woman casts her ballot during Malaysia’s 15th general election in November 2022. Malay voters shifted to a new Malay nationalist coalition in last year’s national polls. Photo: Reuters

Published: 9:30am, 30 Jul 2023

Malaysia’s former ruling party Umno has emerged as a major driving force in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s bid to stem bleeding support from the country’s ethnic Malay majority, as his unity government faces its first real test of public support in a clutch of coming state elections.

The grand old party, Malaysia’s largest by membership, will represent the unity government in 107 of the 245 seats being contested when the states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan go to polls on August 12.

It’s a big ask for Umno, which was all but decimated in November’s general election when it clinched just 28 of the 222 seats up for grabs as Malay voters – angered by the numerous allegations of corruption against party leaders – shifted to a new Malay nationalist coalition led by former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

But it’s also a necessary gambit for Anwar’s unity government.

As a condition of his appointment as prime minister following a highly divisive general election, Anwar was instructed by Malaysia’s king to form an administration comprising friends and foes alike, gifting Umno a route back into government despite its fall from grace.

“Umno is a key partner in the unity government, and the party is seen as the representative of the Malay community,” said Adib Zalkapli, a Malaysia director with political risk consultancy BowerGroupAsia. “Given its role as the Malay party in the coalition, Umno has to play a prominent role in the state elections.”

People fly PAS flags in Kelantan state during November’s Malaysian general election. Photo: Shutterstock

Umno has been tasked with challenging the near-ironclad grip of the Islamist PAS in the northern states of Kelantan and Terengganu, on top of defending its own stronghold in the southern state of Negeri Sembilan. PAS will be looking to ride the “green wave” – reflecting its party colour – that gave the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition a formidable parliamentary minority in the November polls.

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