Asian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week. Sign up here to get the newsletter in your inbox.
The world is full of interesting facts. But facts alone cannot help mankind understand its circumstances.
Narratives matter.
For example, it’s a fact that there has been a months-long dispute over the legitimacy of Negeri Sembilan’s monarch Muhriz Munawir and its four territorial chieftains, whom the state’s unique constitution imbues with certain powers. In some cases, the four Undang are included when the constitution refers to the “Ruler”. The Yang di-Pertuan Besar also needs a majority of them to agree on paramount matters, such as appointing a chief minister or withholding consent to dissolve the state assembly.
Those are the facts. But ask people in the state which side has breached the Adat Perpatih customary laws. Was it Muhriz or the four original Undang, three of whom the palace no longer considers in office? You’ll get opposing answers, depending on whose narrative they’ve bought into.
UMNO had also accused then chief minister Aminuddin Harun, who hails from Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, of political interference in the royal crisis. Aminuddin had affirmed that the state government continues to recognise Muhriz as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar.
This dispute then triggered snap polls more than two years early, resulting in UMNO reclaiming the state after the Aug 1 vote.
The royal crisis became a key issue during the campaign, and again, it came down to narratives.
And the thing about narratives is, it isn’t just about which is better, which itself is a fairly subjective question. It’s also about the credibility of the storyteller.
Many in the Malay-Muslim majority regard the royal institution as guardians of their interests. And the fact is, PH has failed to gain traction among the community since Anwar took power in 2022. This meant many were swayed towards UMNO’s view, whether or not they supported the rebel Undang.
It simply matched what they already believed about PH, especially its largest component, the secular Chinese-dominant Democratic Action Party (DAP). That PH and DAP aim to dilute, if not dismantle, their special rights and privileges.
On the other hand, non-Muslims have felt neglected by the Anwar administration, despite the vast majority of them having handed PH their vote at the 2022 general election. Today, they feel cheated, even scammed, that Anwar is pandering to the Malay ground.
But how can both – that Anwar and PH are undermining Muslims and non-Muslims at the same time – be true?
The obvious answer is that they don’t need to be true to everyone. Each narrative only needs to be true to a particular demographic. And that’s how we now have a ruling coalition in crisis, having suffered three consecutive, demoralising reversals at state polls since November.
To be sure, the losses in Johor and Negeri Sembilan can be largely attributed to the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional and opposition Perikatan Nasional teaming up as a Malay unity pact.
But this only affirms the situation in the four years since Malaysia’s first-ever hung parliament saw Anwar come to power with the backing of other parties, including UMNO. PH has failed to show – and tell – how it can be a home for the Malay majority.
By the time the next edition of this newsletter is out next week, Anwar’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) will be in Melaka for its national assembly. This unwanted hat-trick of defeats will certainly be the main theme there.
Also holding its national congress is DAP. It will decide whether to continue serving in Anwar’s Cabinet, or pull out to signal to its disgruntled supporters that it, too, agrees the government must do better.
In essence, DAP has an immediate chance to change the narrative of its relationship with its core vote bank of non-Muslim and urban Malaysians.
As the prime minister’s party, PKR has no such lever to pull. It has to keep plugging away until Anwar decides it’s time to return the mandate to the people.
Do you think there’s a silver bullet for Anwar to rescue his sinking ship? If so, let us know what that could be. But while we await this fateful weekend, check out some of our latest reports from the bureau below.
Anwar’s PH loses Negeri Sembilan state election
Is PH running out of time to deliver change?
On the trail of the Negeri Sembilan campaign
Senior opposition figure Rais Yatim loses royal titles
Negeri Sembilan palace readies to swear in next government
Malaysian biker fest draws scrutiny over death toll
Malaysia eyes a rise in tourists, increased business from F1 race
How the RTS is reshaping JB neighbourhoods
