KUALA LUMPUR, August 12 – As the vote counting process unfolds in Malaysia’s state elections, initial unofficial results indicate that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government is poised to maintain its control over Penang and Negeri Sembilan. In contrast, the opposition alliance Perikatan Nasional (PN) is showing signs of securing victories in Kedah and Kelantan.
PN is also taking the lead in the majority of the 32 constituencies in Terengganu. This suggests that its largest member, Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), is likely to continue its governance of Terengganu for another term.
With around seven million votes currently being tabulated, Malaysians are awaiting the outcome to determine which party will govern six out of the federation’s 13 states.
Analysts had anticipated a status quo result, with the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition led by Datuk Seri Anwar and its unity government partner, Barisan Nasional (BN), retaining control over Selangor, Penang, and Negeri Sembilan. Meanwhile, the opposing PN coalition is projected to continue its administration of Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu.
Selangor, the wealthiest state in Malaysia, witnessed a vigorous contest as the PN coalition made a concerted effort to gain control, countered by PH’s robust defense. During the two-week campaign period, Mr. Anwar spent a significant amount of time campaigning in Selangor.
However, as of 9:30pm, PH and BN have taken the lead with 11 wins compared to PN’s one. This election marks the first test for the PH-BN alliance, which set aside decades of animosity to form the federal government following the November general election.
The PH-BN alliance also maintains the lead in most of Selangor’s other constituencies, positioning it to secure a simple majority in the 56-seat legislature as of 9:30pm.
