NAJIB RAZAK has finally picked his moment. On April 7th he dissolved parliament, paving the way for a general election to be held on May 9th.
The dissolution came just days after a government agency ordered Bersatu, a political party founded in 2016 by Mahathir Mohamad, a former prime minister who is now leader of the main opposition coalition, to suspend activities. The order was more of an irritation than an extirpation. Dr Mahathir will continue to blast Mr Najib, while contesting the claim of the Registrar of Societies that there were omissions in Bersatu’s paperwork. But it is an indication of how stacked the poll is against the opposition.
The election is for both the 222-seat national parliament and assemblies in 12 of Malaysia’s 13 states. The ruling party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), has held onto power for more than six decades. But its grip is weakening. At the previous election, in 2013, the ruling coalition failed to win the popular vote, retaining...Continue reading
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