KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government grapples with intensifying pressures from royal palaces, university campuses, and economic woes, fueling speculation of a snap election later this year despite a mandate until 2028.
In Selangor, ruled by Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition since 2008, a proposed 202ha modern pig farming project sparked rare royal intervention. Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah decreed against pig rearing, prompting backlash over cultural sensitivities in the populous state with its mix of Malay Muslims, Chinese, and Indian communities. Veteran journalist A. Kadir Jasin warned of political fallout, noting PH’s prior losses among Malay voters.
Economic strains mount from U.S. tariffs, Gaza fallout, and U.S.-Iran tensions disrupting energy supplies, ballooning fuel subsidies from RM700 million to RM6 billion monthly. Anwar announced targeting top earners (T20 or higher) for RON95 petrol subsidy cuts, keeping prices at RM1.99 per litre below market RM3.87. Critics like lawmaker Lim Lip Eng argue thresholds unfairly burden middle-class families in high-cost areas like Kuala Lumpur.
Discontent spreads to Anwar’s base. Seven members of PKR’s student wing Mahasiswa Keadilan resigned May 11, citing leadership failures including alleged “corporate mafia” ties, anti-corruption chief controversies, and unreformed laws like the Sedition Act. Political analyst Tunku Mohar Mokhtar highlighted voter frustration over unfulfilled cost-of-living promises post-Anwar’s 2022 rise after a hung election.
The coalition, once buoyed by urban middle-class support, risks erosion amid corruption perceptions and social media amplification of grievances.