https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/521986/feed The latest news and top stories on the People’s Justice Party. The People’s Justice Party (PKR) is a centre-left, reformist political party based in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Founded in 2003, it emerged from the Reformasi movement, advocating for social justice, anti-corruption and economic equity for all Malaysians, regardless of background. A key player in the country’s political landscape, PKR is a main partner in the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition. It notably contributed to ending... en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk The governor of an Indonesian prison has been suspended after authorities uncovered a suspected luxury compound for VIP inmates within the grounds, prompting a parliamentary inquiry. However, Director General of Corrections Mashudi denied the accusations during a House of Representatives commission hearing on Monday. Cibinong Prison in Bogor, West Java, came under investigation after inspectors from the Ombudsman’s office discovered a fenced-off compound behind the prison chief’s house during a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3369180/indonesian-prison-chief-suspended-over-secret-vip-compound-inmates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3369180/indonesian-prison-chief-suspended-over-secret-vip-compound-inmates?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 08:14:44 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Melaka on Wednesday officially called for a state election – the latest test for Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government, which is already facing an internal feud and growing public frustration over failed reforms. The state assembly was dissolved effective from Wednesday following an official notification sent to the country’s Election Commission the previous day by Ibrahim Durum, the Melaka state assembly’s speaker. “A state election will be held within 60 days of the dissolution... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3368450/malaysias-anwar-faces-political-reckoning-melaka-state-calls-poll?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3368450/malaysias-anwar-faces-political-reckoning-melaka-state-calls-poll?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 02:30:29 +0000 The Star The Star A Malaysian city councillor has resigned over remarks he made about the Democratic Action Party (DAP) at the recent Umno general assembly. Permatang Pauh Umno division chief Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said’s resignation as a Seberang Perai city councillor took effect on Monday, according to a letter made public by state local government committee chairman Jason H’ng Mooi Lye on Wednesday. In the letter, Zaidi apologised for his remarks during the assembly in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, where he represented... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3367674/malaysian-councillor-resigns-after-dap-remarks-umno-assembly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3367674/malaysian-councillor-resigns-after-dap-remarks-umno-assembly?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 05:52:04 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan The political impasse in Malaysia’s government has regressed to a game of chicken, experts say, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the former ruling Umno party trading barbs and dares as pressure grows for snap polls with more than a year left to term. Relations between Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and erstwhile rivals Umno have hit its lowest point since the two sides cut a deal to form a unity government in 2022, after a series of recent state polls that saw PH all but decimated... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3367316/will-malaysias-umno-pull-plug-coalition-partner-ph?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3367316/will-malaysias-umno-pull-plug-coalition-partner-ph?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 13:28:46 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysian police have contacted Islamist opposition leader Abdul Hadi Awang over his explosive claim that the United States once offered to help his party topple the government – an allegation Washington has flatly dismissed as false. The controversy erupted after Hadi told thousands of delegates at the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) congress in Kelantan on Saturday that American representatives had approached party leaders when Barack Obama visited Malaysia in 2014. Hadi’s political... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3366651/pas-chief-face-malaysian-police-over-claims-us-would-help-topple-government?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3366651/pas-chief-face-malaysian-police-over-claims-us-would-help-topple-government?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 10:41:03 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysian politics runs on grudges and few illustrate that better than the one nursed by Rafizi Ramli. A year after losing the deputy presidency of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s People’s Justice Party (PKR), he has built a vehicle for the disaffected, aimed squarely at the coalition of which he was once part. Parti Bersama Malaysia – or Bersama, meaning “together” – is barely three months old under its new leadership, yet it has already rattled Malaysia’s governing alliance. Taken over in May... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3364866/malaysia-voter-anger-fuels-third-force-against-anwar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3364866/malaysia-voter-anger-fuels-third-force-against-anwar?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan The roar from thousands of People’s Justice Party (PKR) delegates gathered at a grand convention centre in Melaka last weekend exuded all the confidence expected of a party leading Malaysia’s government. The past three years have been the culmination of more than two decades of struggle for PKR, with it finally achieving its long-held goal of installing leader Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister and wielding the power to push through reforms. Yet beneath the confident facade lurks a ruling party now... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3364857/malaysias-anwar-traded-reform-power-now-umno-wants-it-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3364857/malaysias-anwar-traded-reform-power-now-umno-wants-it-all?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:00:19 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan A crucial ally of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling alliance voted on Sunday to stay in government, giving him breathing room after months of uncertainty over whether the biggest party in the coalition would remain in cabinet. But the Democratic Action Party’s (DAP) decision also raises the stakes for its own political survival. Analysts warn that the party risks further erosion of its credibility unless it can unless it makes sure to push through concrete reforms before the next... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3364201/malaysia-daps-vote-stay-anwars-alliance-secures-stability-what-cost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3364201/malaysia-daps-vote-stay-anwars-alliance-secures-stability-what-cost?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Aug 2026 12:33:32 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A veteran Malaysian politician’s resignation from parliament and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s People’s Justice Party (PKR) to join a fledgling progressive rival widens an exodus of reformist figures as the ruling coalition reels from a string of electoral setbacks. Wong Chen, a three-term lawmaker who had spent nearly two decades in PKR, said on Wednesday that he had applied to join newly rebranded Bersama after resigning his Subang parliamentary seat on Monday and leaving PKR the following... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3363763/veteran-malaysian-mp-wong-quits-over-toxic-politics-leaving-reform-agenda-doubt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3363763/veteran-malaysian-mp-wong-quits-over-toxic-politics-leaving-reform-agenda-doubt?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Aug 2026 07:38:09 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim accused opposition lawmakers of staging “political drama” on Tuesday after they walked out of a special parliamentary session on a long-awaited royal inquiry into the country’s Muslim pilgrimage savings fund. The confrontation came less than two weeks after Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition lost power in Negeri Sembilan. During campaigning, the prime minister had repeatedly invoked the Tabung Haji inquiry as evidence of the need to confront corruption... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3363636/malaysias-anwar-slams-political-drama-after-opposition-walks-out-tabung-haji-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3363636/malaysias-anwar-slams-political-drama-after-opposition-walks-out-tabung-haji-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Aug 2026 07:15:11 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan The revelation that an alleged Malaysian scam kingpin was released after paying 10 million ringgit (US$2.4 million) fine has sparked public outrage over claims of preferential treatment for a man at the centre of a controversial photo-op with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Liow Soon Hee – better known as Nicky Liow – was cleared of all 26 money-laundering charges involving more than 36 million ringgit, the country’s top prosecutor said on Friday. Authorities earlier believed he led a multimillion... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3363343/anger-malaysia-liows-money-laundering-charges-dropped-after-us24-million-fine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3363343/anger-malaysia-liows-money-laundering-charges-dropped-after-us24-million-fine?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:56:13 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Nurul Izzah Anwar, the daughter of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, has stepped back from the deputy presidency of his ruling People’s Justice Party (PKR), raising questions over his ability to hold together the political movement he built after a bruising run of electoral setbacks and defections by former allies. PKR’s leadership has sought to frame the move by Nurul Izzah, one of the party’s most recognisable reformist figures, not as a resignation but as a temporary break – exposing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3363294/malaysia-nurul-izzahs-pkr-exit-deepens-questions-over-anwars-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3363294/malaysia-nurul-izzahs-pkr-exit-deepens-questions-over-anwars-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Aug 2026 08:36:19 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan The door is fast closing on Malaysia’s reform experiment after nearly a decade of false starts and political intrigue, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling coalition facing the real possibility of being booted out of office as the country’s ethnic majority seeks the return of strong Malay leadership. Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) suffered bruising losses in three state elections since last November, most significantly losing control of Negeri Sembilan on Saturday after nearly eight years in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3363025/malaysian-politics-heads-reset-malay-nationalism-surge-threatens-reform-experiment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3363025/malaysian-politics-heads-reset-malay-nationalism-surge-threatens-reform-experiment?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Aug 2026 06:54:16 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Ushar Daniele Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Ushar Daniele The Malaysian ruling coalition’s poor showing in the Negeri Sembilan poll on Saturday marks its third straight defeat in eight months – an embarrassing run that is forcing its largest party to confront the cost of governing with former rivals. Pakatan Harapan (PH) won 11 of the state’s 36 seats on Saturday, down from 17 in 2023, while Barisan Nasional (BN) secured 18 and its electoral partner, Perikatan Nasional (PN), took seven. The setback followed PH’s near-wipeout in Sabah last November,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3362709/three-strikes-daps-out-loss-malaysias-negeri-sembilan-puts-coalition-notice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3362709/three-strikes-daps-out-loss-malaysias-negeri-sembilan-puts-coalition-notice?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Aug 2026 01:00:31 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has threatened to remove ministers and federal appointees who use public office to attack their own government partners, drawing a new red line as the ruling coalition’s rival camps collide again ahead of the Negeri Sembilan state election on August 1. Anwar said senior officials were free to campaign for their parties but must step down to avoid weaponising their official positions against allies in his unity government. “If they wish to do so, they... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3361314/fall-line-or-resign-malaysias-anwar-reins-coalition-partners-ahead-state-poll?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3361314/fall-line-or-resign-malaysias-anwar-reins-coalition-partners-ahead-state-poll?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jul 2026 08:00:10 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Ushar Daniele,Vincent Tan Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Ushar Daniele,Vincent Tan Barisan Nasional’s (BN) sweeping win in Johor is expected to embolden it within Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government while forcing his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition into a difficult postmortem over its waning appeal on the ground. BN, which ruled the country for six decades before losing power in 2018 and later joining Anwar’s bloc in 2022, retained its Johor stronghold with 48 seats out of 56 on Saturday night – an improvement from the 40 it won in the 2022 polls. PH... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3360250/malaysia-bns-johor-blue-wave-leaves-anwars-ph-facing-hard-questions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3360250/malaysia-bns-johor-blue-wave-leaves-anwars-ph-facing-hard-questions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Jul 2026 00:00:22 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s newest “rebel party” has issued a rare public call for election candidates, as former economy minister Rafizi Ramli races to turn his breakaway Bersama outfit into a serious force before a string of state polls. The move comes after Johor dissolved its assembly last Monday, with Negeri Sembilan doing the same on Friday, paving the way for polls in both states well before the next general election, which must be held by early 2028. A date has yet to be set for both state... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3356468/malaysias-got-political-talent-bersama-seeks-election-candidates-through-audition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3356468/malaysias-got-political-talent-bersama-seeks-election-candidates-through-audition?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Jun 2026 06:22:54 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia is heading into a run of state elections, including two triggered by early assembly dissolutions, after Negeri Sembilan became the latest state to call a snap poll amid fraying ties inside Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling alliance. While the polls will not directly affect Anwar’s parliamentary majority, they will test whether his federal partners can keep their coalition functioning at the state level or whether local disputes will deepen the fractures between them. On Friday,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3356084/malaysian-state-polls-loom-negeri-sembilan-snap-vote-tests-anwars-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3356084/malaysian-state-polls-loom-negeri-sembilan-snap-vote-tests-anwars-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:51:09 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Former Malaysian economy minister Rafizi Ramli’s breakaway gamble is unlikely to bring down Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on its own, analysts say, but it could still wound the ruling coalition by peeling away reformist voters who helped Pakatan Harapan (PH) take power in 2022. Rafizi and former natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad announced on Sunday that they would quit Anwar’s People Justice Party (PKR), vacate their parliamentary seats and take over... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3354510/why-rafizis-party-bigger-threat-malaysias-anwar-opposition-coalition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3354510/why-rafizis-party-bigger-threat-malaysias-anwar-opposition-coalition?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 08:16:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse An Ankara court on Thursday annulled the 2023 leadership election of Turkey’s main opposition CHP party in a sharp escalation against the country’s embattled opposition. It is the latest in a string of moves targeting the Republican People’s Party, Turkey’s oldest political faction that won a huge victory over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AKP in the 2024 local elections and has been rising in the polls. The ruling overturned the result of a leadership election that brought in current... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3354426/court-annuls-leadership-turkeys-main-opposition-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3354426/court-annuls-leadership-turkeys-main-opposition-party?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 16:46:42 +0000 Bloomberg,The Star Bloomberg,The Star Malaysia’s unity government will remain intact until the end of its term amid speculation of snap elections, according to Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil. “Barisan Nasional, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and Gabungan Parti Sarawak have given their commitment that they will support this government till the end of its term,” Fahmi said on Wednesday after a cabinet meeting. “This commitment reflects the priority given to the interests of the people and the country, while enabling the government to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354256/malaysias-ruling-coalition-committed-staying-united-until-end-its-term-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354256/malaysias-ruling-coalition-committed-staying-united-until-end-its-term-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 10:22:53 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is considering calling a snap election before a mounting fuel subsidy crisis forces him to make spending cuts that would strip him of the conditions needed to win one. A national vote is not due until early 2028, but the political logic of going early is becoming harder to dismiss. Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) alliance is fraying at the edges, coalition partner Barisan Nasional has announced it will contest the coming Johor state poll alone, and two of his... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3354065/malaysias-anwar-eyes-snap-poll-fuel-subsidy-crunch-truly-bites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3354065/malaysias-anwar-eyes-snap-poll-fuel-subsidy-crunch-truly-bites?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 06:38:18 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Chances of Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim winning a fresh mandate look increasingly fraught, according to experts, as the unravelling of his coalition government gathered pace over the weekend amid threats of all-out war between allies and the defection of former stalwarts to a rival party. Anwar has presided over a period of relative political stability since his appointment as prime minister in November 2022 by then king Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, on condition that he included both allies and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3353955/election-war-drums-beat-malaysias-ruling-coalition-done?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3353955/election-war-drums-beat-malaysias-ruling-coalition-done?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 08:19:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters Two prominent ⁠former Malaysian ministers said on ⁠Sunday they would vacate their parliamentary seats ⁠and resign from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling coalition party to join a small party that they would take over. The move by Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who resigned from cabinet last year after losing leadership posts in internal party elections, ‌could create a challenge for Anwar, amid speculation of an early election this year. The next general election is not due until... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353896/malaysian-ex-ministers-resign-anwars-party-snap-election-rumoured?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353896/malaysian-ex-ministers-resign-anwars-party-snap-election-rumoured?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 13:24:19 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling alliance will doubtless try to project a united front this weekend, but two former ministers from his own party are threatening to pull attention back to the fractures inside the reformist camp. Pakatan Harapan (PH), the reformist coalition led by Anwar, holds its first convention in four years in the southern state of Johor on Sunday. That same day, former economy minister Rafizi Ramli and former natural resources and environmental sustainability... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3353688/malaysias-anwar-ibrahim-wants-project-strength-his-former-ministers-wont-let-him?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3353688/malaysias-anwar-ibrahim-wants-project-strength-his-former-ministers-wont-let-him?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 07:51:15 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Gwanghwamun Square, a plaza in Seoul framed by royal palaces and monuments to Korean national identity, is at the centre of a dispute over whether a massive new Korean war memorial belongs in a public space seen as a major tourist attraction and long associated with civic gatherings and pro-democracy protests. A row of 23 stone monuments representing South Korea and the 22 foreign countries that fought alongside it during the 1950-53 war was recently unveiled at the square. Located across from... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3353427/whale-bones-south-koreas-war-memorial-sparks-conflict-over-symbolism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3353427/whale-bones-south-koreas-war-memorial-sparks-conflict-over-symbolism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 09:12:09 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency on Monday questioned former economy minister Rafizi Ramli over a billion-ringgit semiconductor deal with British chip designer Arm Holdings, escalating a politically sensitive inquiry that has swept up ministers, senior officials and one of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s most outspoken former allies. Rafizi, the Pandan MP and a former senior figure in Anwar’s reformist People’s Justice Party, arrived at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC)... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3352310/malaysia-anwars-former-ally-rafizi-ramli-grilled-over-us278-million-arm-chip-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3352310/malaysia-anwars-former-ally-rafizi-ramli-grilled-over-us278-million-arm-chip-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 03:23:53 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof When Malaysia’s government announced a ban on two books in mid-April, the move raised eyebrows, with some questioning the intent of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration and his reformist credentials. The home affairs ministry on April 16 declared that the books – one of which was a memoir of the grandmother to an ally of Anwar – were a danger to national security for containing communist elements and ideologies. The decision triggered immediate pushback, predictably from civil society... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3352174/malaysias-book-bans-iran-war-anwars-reform-agenda-faces-sternest-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3352174/malaysias-book-bans-iran-war-anwars-reform-agenda-faces-sternest-test?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s Negeri Sembilan state was pushed deeper into crisis after Barisan Nasional (BN), a key ally in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition government, declared it had secured a simple majority to form a new state administration with the opposition. The move turns an extraordinary palace dispute into the sharpest state-level test yet of Anwar’s fragile ruling alliance, ahead of a national poll due in less than two years. BN, the former ruling coalition led by Umno that ruled Malaysia for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3351637/malay-parties-unite-malaysias-negeri-sembilan-test-anwars-fragile-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3351637/malay-parties-unite-malaysias-negeri-sembilan-test-anwars-fragile-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 03:41:40 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan The ruling administration of Malaysia’s Negeri Sembilan state is on the brink of collapse after a key ally withdrew support on Monday in a spat that has shone the spotlight on increasingly fragile ties within Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition government. Anwar has been facing growing pushback from allies and critics alike in recent months, ahead of national polls due in less than two years. Parties across the aisle are doubling down on contentious issues to bolster support from their... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3351528/malaysian-state-crisis-after-umno-pulls-support-chief-minister-royal-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3351528/malaysian-state-crisis-after-umno-pulls-support-chief-minister-royal-row?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 05:39:20 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Singapore’s pushback against negotiating with Iran over access to the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a backlash from Malaysian politicians, who saw its statements as “lecturing” them on how best to secure safe passage through the vital waterway. For the past month, Tehran had all but shut access to the strait – which handles about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments, bound mostly for Asia – in retaliation for deadly strikes by the US and Israel since they launched a war on Iran on February... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3349464/malaysia-wont-be-lectured-singapores-refusal-negotiate-over-hormuz-creates-waves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3349464/malaysia-wont-be-lectured-singapores-refusal-negotiate-over-hormuz-creates-waves?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:23:33 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A Malaysian minister on Wednesday denied he was the unnamed politician at the centre of fresh allegations in the country’s so-called corporate mafia controversy, amid wide speculation over the individual’s identity. Ramanan Ramakrishnan, human resource minister, and vice-president of the ruling People’s Justice Party (PKR), rejected claims he had taken 9.5 million ringgit (US$2.4 million) in exchange for “helping resolve” the alleged matter. The controversy gained traction following news reports... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3347884/minister-caught-malaysias-corporate-mafia-saga-denies-us24-million-bribe-claim?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3347884/minister-caught-malaysias-corporate-mafia-saga-denies-us24-million-bribe-claim?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:15:52 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is facing a fresh political test after the family of late former finance minister Daim Zainuddin sued his government over claims they were involved in a plot to topple the administration. The legal challenge is turning what began as a police investigation into a wider debate over whether Anwar’s reformist government is applying its principles consistently or selectively. Critics say the controversy risks complicating one of Anwar’s central claims since... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3345982/malaysia-anwars-reformist-image-risk-daim-family-sues-over-zionist-claims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3345982/malaysia-anwars-reformist-image-risk-daim-family-sues-over-zionist-claims?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:29:58 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim may face growing difficulty pushing through major reforms as Malaysia edges closer to its next general election, analysts have said, after a parliamentary setback exposed strains within his broad but fragile ruling coalition. The warning signs emerged when lawmakers failed to pass a constitutional amendment to limit the prime minister’s tenure to two terms – a reform widely expected to succeed given the government’s commanding majority. Anwar’s administration fell... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3345410/malaysias-anwar-under-pressure-after-parliamentary-setback-complicates-reform-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3345410/malaysias-anwar-under-pressure-after-parliamentary-setback-complicates-reform-push?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:00:39 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof The news rippled through Malaysian social media with something close to glee. Nick Adams, the Australian-born, self-described “alpha male” whom US President Donald Trump had nominated as ambassador to Kuala Lumpur, was not coming after all. “They do listen sometimes,” said Muhammad Izuan Ahmad Kasim, a youth leader from the People’s Justice Party who had been among the dozens who marched to the US embassy last July demanding Washington reconsider the appointment. Adams himself offered a very... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3344540/malaysians-cheer-us-drops-alpha-male-ambassador-pick-nick-adams?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3344540/malaysians-cheer-us-drops-alpha-male-ambassador-pick-nick-adams?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 04:15:51 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s record on legal reforms has come under scrutiny after a journalist was detained under a colonial-era Sedition Act for asking a “sensitive question” linking the Gaza crisis to the treatment of ethnic Chinese in the Malay-majority country. Rex Tan, 31, a journalist for local news site Free Malaysia Today (FMT), was arrested early on Saturday morning after he asked the question at a public debate five days earlier in Kuala Lumpur. Tan is being investigated... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3340390/malaysian-reporters-sedition-arrest-casts-doubts-anwars-reform-record?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3340390/malaysian-reporters-sedition-arrest-casts-doubts-anwars-reform-record?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 06:04:18 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan As Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration swings from one setback to another, his ruling coalition has turned to familiar talking points to regain the support of the country’s ethnic minorities. In the wake of a devastating defeat in the Sabah state election last month, members of Anwar’s ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition have renewed a push for government recognition of school leaving certificates issued by private Chinese high schools. The call, however, has driven a wedge... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3337123/anwars-coalition-revives-malaysian-chinese-school-certification-debate-sparking-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3337123/anwars-coalition-revives-malaysian-chinese-school-certification-debate-sparking-row?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:08:06 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s former economy minister Rafizi Ramli has renewed his attack on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s reformist agenda, alleging that anti-corruption officers targeted candidates who challenged the leader’s daughter in internal party polls earlier this year. In an episode of his Yang Berhenti Menteri (The Minister Who Quit) podcast streamed on Friday, the Pandan MP and former Anwar ally alleged that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had investigated several contenders for the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3335591/malaysian-ex-minister-rafizi-challenges-anwars-anti-graft-credentials-escalating-feud?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3335591/malaysian-ex-minister-rafizi-challenges-anwars-anti-graft-credentials-escalating-feud?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 07:52:38 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday vowed not to interfere in corruption investigations into his own political appointees, after a slew of allegations were levelled at close government aides. Last week, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, a senior political secretary to the Prime Minister, was implicated in a mining scandal in the state of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo. Shamsul, who resigned from his post just hours after the revelation last Tuesday, is currently being held on remand by the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3334880/malaysias-anwar-vows-no-protection-close-aides-corruption-investigations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3334880/malaysias-anwar-vows-no-protection-close-aides-corruption-investigations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 09:30:08 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s anti-graft drive has suffered a setback after a senior aide resigned over corruption claims, piling pressure on a leader already accused of abusing power and putting his ruling party at risk of rupture. Anti-corruption authorities previously mounted a high-profile crackdown against two-time former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, his family and close associates – long seen as untouchables – as part of Anwar’s pledge to dismantle top-level corruption under... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3334186/malaysian-pms-war-corruption-hits-snag-top-political-secretary-quits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3334186/malaysian-pms-war-corruption-hits-snag-top-political-secretary-quits?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 06:25:06 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia has backed US President Donald Trump’s controversial plan to end the war in Gaza, presenting it as a constructive step towards resolving the two-year conflict and easing humanitarian suffering in the besieged enclave. But the decision has stirred backlash at home, with analysts suggesting that Indonesia – long a vocal supporter of Palestinian statehood – may have stepped into a “diplomatic trap” that benefits Israeli and US interests more than those of Palestinians. “The government’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3328242/did-indonesia-fall-diplomatic-trap-over-trumps-gaza-peace-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3328242/did-indonesia-fall-diplomatic-trap-over-trumps-gaza-peace-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 10:30:09 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Authorities in Malaysia are hunting the suspect behind a blackmail attempt on at least 10 lawmakers who received emails demanding US$100,000 payments to avoid the release of deepfake sex videos using their likenesses. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the members of parliament were sent similar emails over the weekend demanding that they pay the ransom via a QR code or the clips would be released to the public. The emails included screenshots of videos that the government believes were... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3325539/malaysian-mps-targeted-deepfake-sex-video-blackmail-demanding-us100000-payments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3325539/malaysian-mps-targeted-deepfake-sex-video-blackmail-demanding-us100000-payments?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 03:53:28 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Thailand’s acting prime minister has moved to dissolve parliament, his party said on Wednesday, after the largest opposition party backed a rival candidate to lead the country. The decision – a potentially legally fraught one – could see the kingdom hold fresh elections before the year’s end, just two years after it last went to the polls in May 2023. A power vacuum has consumed Thailand’s top office since Friday, when prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was ousted by the Constitutional Court... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3324131/thailand-acting-leader-moves-dissolve-parliament-block-rivals-pm-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3324131/thailand-acting-leader-moves-dissolve-parliament-block-rivals-pm-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 03:31:52 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Scrolling through TikTok one evening, I came across a short clip of American comedian Ron Funches asking an audience member why they believed the government had a perfect track record. “Our government is placed in charge of all of its people. I’m a father placed in charge of just one son. And I lie to that … all the time,” he said, using a term from African-American vernacular that he can say but I cannot. Funches’ delivery was biting, but his point resonated – particularly for those of us in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3318512/can-anwar-restore-trust-amid-malaysias-judicial-upheaval?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3318512/can-anwar-restore-trust-amid-malaysias-judicial-upheaval?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jul 2025 02:30:08 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan A cryptic promise from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has become the latest lightning rod for Malaysia’s restless public, whose patience is wearing thin after months of new taxes, political scandals and economic anxiety. Late on Monday, Anwar posted a stylised silhouette and the words Akan Datang (Coming Soon) across his social media accounts, promising a special gesture of “extraordinary” appreciation for all Malaysians. The post, which was met with widespread derision, appeared just hours after... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3318244/whats-anwars-big-surprise-malaysians-dread-more-taxes-or-pardon-najib?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3318244/whats-anwars-big-surprise-malaysians-dread-more-taxes-or-pardon-najib?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 05:26:34 +0000 Hadi Azmi,Joseph Sipalan Hadi Azmi,Joseph Sipalan A fresh quandary may be brewing in Malaysia’s ruling People’s Justice Party (PKR), after Deputy President Nurul Izzah Anwar joined a march calling for judicial independence while her party weighs disciplinary action on her peers for demanding an investigation into alleged meddling in the country’s judiciary. Nurul Izzah, the daughter of Prime Minister and PKR President Anwar Ibrahim, joined nearly 1,000 lawyers in a march on the prime minister’s office on Monday afternoon to protest against... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3318191/malaysias-ruling-pkr-bind-over-judicial-crisis-after-anwars-daughter-joins-protest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3318191/malaysias-ruling-pkr-bind-over-judicial-crisis-after-anwars-daughter-joins-protest?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2025 14:19:30 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Hadi Azmi Joseph Sipalan,Hadi Azmi In the calm of his kitchen, Christy Yoong once raised a glass to retirement – good wine, imported cheese and the spoils of a life’s work. But as Malaysia’s new tax regime lands with a thud, even these modest pleasures are slipping out of reach. When Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim unveiled his unexpected tax on imported luxuries in June, he promised the pain would be felt only by the affluent. The intent was clear: shore up government coffers by targeting the better-off. Yet the reality, for many... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3317007/malaysias-new-luxury-taxes-hit-middle-class-where-it-hurts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3317007/malaysias-new-luxury-taxes-hit-middle-class-where-it-hurts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 00:00:11 +0000