Malaysia opposition faces heightened pressure

Significance

In July 2023, Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor of the PN’s Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) was charged with sedition. The PN leads the opposition to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government, which includes Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and the Barisan Nasional (BN) alliance.

Impacts

• Further sedition cases against opposition politicians would prompt increased scrutiny by the international community.
• Critics will increasingly allege politicisation of the judiciary.
• The monarchy’s influence will rise.