Malaysian state in crisis after Umno pulls support for chief minister in royal row
Umno’s pullout leaves Anwar’s coalition two seats short of a majority
Malaysia's Negeri Sembilan state government is on the brink of collapse after former ruling party Umno withdrew its support for Chief Minister Aminuddin Harun on Monday. The move, announced by state Umno chief Jalaluddin Alias during a live news conference, stems from a dispute over Harun's handling of a palace matter. Umno’s 14 state assemblymen have unanimously declared a loss of confidence, leaving the state government two seats short of the simple majority needed to govern the 36-seat assembly.
This crisis underscores growing tensions within Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition government, which has faced increasing pushback from allies and critics ahead of national elections due in less than two years. The internal bickering has unraveled the relative political stability seen since Anwar took office in 2022, as parties across the aisle double down on contentious issues to shore up support from their respective vote bases in multiracial Malaysia. The Negeri Sembilan spat highlights the fragile ties that could threaten Anwar’s broader coalition ahead of the polls.
- Umno withdrew support for Negeri Sembilan Chief Minister Aminuddin Harun over a royal dispute
- The move leaves the state government two seats short of a simple majority in the 36-seat assembly
- Crisis highlights growing fragility in PM Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition ahead of national polls due in under two years
Why It Matters
This political crisis could destabilize Anwar’s coalition ahead of Malaysia’s next general election