News analysis

Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional walk political tightrope with electoral pact in Malaysia

Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim (right), who leads the Pakatan Harapan coalition, and DPM Zahid Hamidi, who chairs Barisan Nasional, at a press conference in December. PHOTO: BERNAMA
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KUALA LUMPUR - Electoral cooperation between Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and its new ally Barisan Nasional (BN) in several state elections this year will see the two walking a political tightrope, as they attempt to win over Malay voters while not alienating the non-Malays.

Datuk Seri Anwar said on Tuesday that all parties in the government have agreed to work together in the state elections, and would start talks on seat negotiations soon.

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