Next Malaysian general election explained

Country:Malaysia
Type:parliamentary
Previous Election:2022 Malaysian general election
Previous Year:2022
Ongoing:yes
Election Date:By
Next Year:Next
Seats For Election:All 222 seats in the Dewan Rakyat
Majority Seats:112
Image1:Anwar Ibrahim (2024-05-23).jpg
Colour1:ED1C24
Leader1:Anwar Ibrahim
Party1:People's Justice Party (Malaysia)
Alliance1:Pakatan Harapan
Last Election1:81 seats
Seats Before1:81
Seats Needed1: 31
Colour2:031e61
Leader2:Muhyiddin Yassin
Party2:BERSATU
Alliance2:Perikatan Nasional
Last Election2:74 seats
Seats Before2:68
Seats Needed2: 44
Image3:File:Deputy Prime Minister Hamidi - 2017 (36294565072) (cropped).jpg
Colour3:000080
Leader3:Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Party3:UMNO
Alliance3:Barisan Nasional
Last Election3:30 seats
Seats Before3:30
Seats Needed3: 82
Image4:Abang Johari UNIMAS meeting.jpg
Colour4:FF6666
Leader4:Abang Johari
Party4:PBB
Alliance4:GPS
Last Election4:23 seats
Seats Before4:23
Seats Needed4:[1]
Image5:File:CM Hajiji Noor in 2024 (cropped).jpg
Colour5:4682b4
Leader5:Hajiji Noor
Party5:GAGASAN
Alliance5:GRS
Last Election5:6 seats
Seats Before5:6
Seats Needed5:[2]
Image6:Mohd Shafie Apdal in 2023.jpg
Colour6:A4E5FC
Leader6:Shafie Apdal
Party6:WARISAN
Last Election6:3 seats
Seats Before6:3
Seats Needed6: 109
Prime Minister
Before Election:Anwar Ibrahim
Before Party:PH

General elections must be held in Malaysia by 17 February 2028. Redistribution and boundary changes for the constituencies are expected to take place by 2026, with the last taking place before the 2018 general election.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, leader of Pakatan Harapan, currently leads a coalition government consisting of PH, BN, GPS, GRS, WARISAN and other minor parties.[3] Perikatan Nasional (PN) and the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA) currently sit as the opposition.[4] [5]

The 2022 general election saw PN make gains primarily in the northern peninsular states of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu in what was dubbed as the Green Wave.[6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] It resulted in a hung parliament for the first time in Malaysian electoral history.

Electoral system

Elections in Malaysia are conducted at the federal and state levels. Federal elections elect members of the Dewan Rakyat, the lower house of Parliament, while state elections in each of the 13 states elect members of their respective state legislative assembly. As Malaysia follows the Westminster system of government, the head of government (Prime Minister at the federal level and the Chief Ministers, the so-called, at the state level) is the person who commands the confidence of the majority of members in the respective legislature – this is normally the leader of the party or coalition with the majority of seats in the legislature.

The Dewan Rakyat consists of 222 members, known as Members of Parliament (MPs), that are elected for five-year terms. Each MP is elected from a single-member constituency using the first-past-the-post voting system. If one party obtains a majority of seats, then that party is entitled to form the government, with its leader becoming the Prime Minister. In the event of a hung parliament, where no single party obtains the majority of seats, the government may still form through a coalition or a confidence and supply agreement with other parties. In practice, coalitions and alliances in Malaysia generally persist between elections, and member parties do not normally contest for the same seats.

Notes and References

  1. GPS only contests seats in Sarawak, insufficient to form government in their own right.
  2. GRS only contests seats in Sabah and Labuan, insufficient to form government in their own right.
  3. Web site: Parliament session on Dec 19, motion of confidence on PM to be tabled - PM Anwar. Bernama. 24 November 2022 . 15 December 2023.
  4. Web site: PN to stay as opposition bloc, to provide checks and balances to Anwar’s unity govt. The Straits Times. 25 November 2022. 15 December 2023.
  5. Web site: Syed Saddiq: Muda turns opposition as ‘third force’, withdraws from unity govt. Malay Mail. 10 September 2023 . 15 December 2023.
  6. Web site: Malaysia's 'Green Wave' Was a Long Time Coming. Fulcrum Singapore. 26 January 2023 . 15 December 2023.
  7. Web site: 'Green wave' sweeps over voters. The Star. 15 December 2023.
  8. Web site: Iman Research: PAS' 'green wave' long time coming, came from lack of Pakatan presence and winning over first-time voters. Malay Mail. 20 January 2023 . 15 December 2023.
  9. Web site: 'Gelombang hijau' PAS akan berkembang dalam PRN, kata Hadi. Free Malaysia Today. 15 December 2023.
  10. Web site: ULASAN Kejutan 'Gelombang Hijau' dalam PRU15. Malaysia Kini. 30 November 2022 . 15 December 2023.
  11. Web site: Bangkitnya 'gelombang hijau' di Malaysia. Benar News. 15 December 2023.