Nascent Malaysian opposition unity faces tests

Significance

He was present as leader of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (PPBM), which he founded to take on his former party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), now led by Prime Minister Najib Razak. Najib also heads the governing Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. The PPBM was formally accepted into the PH on March 21.

Impacts

• UMNO will support PAS’s efforts to expand Islamic criminal punishments (hudud) in Malaysia.
• Time will likely be insufficient in this parliament session (ending April 6) to consider hudud amendments fully.
• PAS’s relationship with the PKR will be determined at PAS’s annual conference in April.
• If hudud changes become law, they would likely have minimal foreign investor impact.
• There would likely be infrastructure spending and development policy consistency under either coalition.