Malaysia’s new PM is inclusive. Will he last?

The appointment of Anwar Ibrahim as Malaysia’s new Prime Minister has ended – at least for now -- political uncertainty that surged in the wake of the fractured mandate in last week’s general elections. With no party securing an outright majority, Malaysia seemed headed for intense political horse-trading. The King appointed Anwar as Prime Minister as his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition won the largest number of seats in the election. A veteran politician, Anwar was once a protégé of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed. However, the two fell out, culminating in Anwar being jailed on trumped-up charges and then relegated to a long stint in the Opposition. Anwar’s PH won the 2018 general election but he was denied the top post when the Perikatan Nasional (PN) pulled the proverbial rug from under his feet. A progressive and inclusive politician, Anwar has a reformist and globalist outlook. His assumption of the Prime Minister’s post has evoked a sigh of relief not only from global investors but also from progressive-minded Malaysians as well as Malaysia’s racial and religious minorities, especially those of Indian and Chinese origin. Anwar has promised reforms to improve governance and end corruption. Will he be able to deliver on these promises? Importantly, will his government survive?

The survival of his government will be immensely challenging. On its own, Anwar’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) won just 31 seats in the recent election. He will need his coalition partners’ full support. Even with that, the ruling coalition lacks a simple majority. His government will also be under intense pressure from the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) which, with 49 seats, is the single biggest party in parliament. An Islamist party, PAS is in favour of the implementation of Sharia law. Then there is the Barisan Nasional (BN). The BN’s Malay supremacist political ideology continues to enjoy strong support among Malaysia’s Malay majority. To propel themselves to political relevance or to oust Anwar’s government, PAS and BN can be expected to incite violence against Malaysian Indians and Chinese. Malaysia has seen anti-Indian and anti-Chinese riots in the past. Prime Minister Anwar will need to translate his promises into action to promote an inclusive Malaysian identity. Else, his plans for economic and governance reforms will be stillborn.

Back in 2019 when Mahathir, then Prime Minister, accused India of “invading and occupying” Jammu and Kashmir in his speech at the UN General Assembly, it understandably roiled India-Malaysia relations. As bilateral trade plunged rapidly, Anwar called on the Malaysian government to resolve differences with India “amicably.” His position then was seen as pragmatic and friendly to India. Will he now walk the talk?