Just weeks after Malaysia was seized by the controversy over socks printed with the word “Allah,” the country’s conservative culture warriors have fixed their sights on a new target: a brand of women’s shoes. Vern’s Holdings, a Malaysian shoe company, yesterday agreed to stop selling one of its popular lines of women’s shoes after complaints … Read more
The heir of a glorified line of politicians, Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Najib Razak (2009-2018) embodied the promise of a new era of liberalism in both the economic and social realms. However, history has yet to determine which part of his story will leave the deepest mark on Malaysia: his reforms or his political downfall. … Read more
Had he lived, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Alhaj, Malaysia’s founding leader, would have turned 121 years old on February 8. He was born in 1903 in Alor Star, a town in Kedah State, which he chose as his final resting place, unlike many other Malaysian prime ministers, including his successor Tun Razak Hussein. The Tunku … Read more
A Malaysian court yesterday charged a prominent former minister and powerbroker with illegally concealing millions of dollars’ worth of assets, the latest development in a corruption investigation that is homing in on close associates of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Daim Zainuddin, 85, a key ally of Mahathir during his lengthy spell in power between … Read more
Advertisement The world of politics has much in common with that of the canine. A tenacious terrier can cower a huge Beauceron, while a bulldog’s submissive posture might lead it to be chased out of the pack, its fierce face notwithstanding. This reality is encapsulated by the current political predicament facing Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar … Read more
ASEAN Beat | Politics | Southeast Asia The decision comes less than two weeks after the dropping of corruption charges against an ally for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Advertisement On Tuesday, Malaysian prosecutors said that they will not appeal the acquittal of former Prime Minister Najib Razak in a case of audit tampering related to state fund 1MDB, a … Read more
United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and Barisan National coalition President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, foreground, waves coalition flags during an event naming general election candidates at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Nov. 1, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File Advertisement Malaysian prosecutors yesterday dropped a raft of corruption charges against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad … Read more
Advertisement In Malaysia’s six state elections earlier this month, the right-wing Malay-Muslim coalition, Perikatan Nasional (PN), maintained the substantial momentum that it gained at the general election in November 2022. The polls saw PN’s influence solidify across the Malay-majority states, bolstering its control in Kelantan, Terengganu, and Kedah, while also making inroads into Pakatan Harapan … Read more
Advertisement On August 12, Malaysian voters in six of the country’s 13 states will go to the polls to elect new state assemblies. The elections figure as a referendum on the leadership of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and a stress-test for his “unity” government, nine months after his appointment following a close-run general election. Bridget … Read more
Advertisement Malaysia has long been portrayed as a peaceful mosaic of cultures and a fascinating example of Arab, South, and Southeast Asian creolism, as shown in the work of historian Sumit K. Mandal. However, the combination of nearly 90 years of racial stratification under British imperial rule and 60 years of policies aimed at promoting … Read more