KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s ever-tense, colourful political scene has maintained its momentum throughout 2024 as it “gifted” its citizens a variety of interesting episodes which would remain discussed and dissected by politicians, pundits and political junkies for many years to come.
These episodes, which included by-election victories and losses, party leadership changes, and expulsions and retention of party hoppers in Parliament, have raised questions about how foolproof the country’s federal anti-hopping law as well as giving the public hints on how political parties will navigate 2025 and beyond.
As 2024 is coming to a wrap soon, Scoop lists the noteworthy highlights in Malaysian politics.
1. Bersatu turncoats sacked but seats kept
Bersatu has terminated the membership of seven elected representatives, six of them being MPs after they pledged support for the unity governments in both Putrajaya and Selangor in June.
The six Bersatu MPs who pledged support to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim are Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Datuk Zulkafperi Hanafi (Tg Karang) and Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan).
Meanwhile, Selat Klang assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari declared his support for Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari earlier in March.
According to the party’s then secretary-general (now deputy president) Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, the membership termination process was done in accordance with the party’s constitution and national anti-hopping law – Article 49(A) of the Federal Constitution – as well as under state government laws, Scoop reported.
The termination was carried out three months after the party amended its constitution to close the “loophole” where the six MPs voiced support for Anwar without leaving the party.
While the federal anti-hopping laws stipulate that lawmakers would lose their constituency seat if they joined another party or resigned on their own accord, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul decided against vacating their seats in July.
Johari’s action was lambasted by Bersatu leaders who accused the speaker of acting beyond his powers and jeopardising the Federal Constitution, as well as contradicting the spirit of the anti-party hopping law.
The speaker’s decision also drew brickbats from civil society groups, with electoral watchdog group Bersih reportedly saying that Johari erred in understanding the mechanism of the anti-hopping law and disregarded the principles and intentions behind the law, which might lead to political instability in the future.
Bersatu has since filed a lawsuit on November 15 against five of its former MPs and Johari for his refusal to declare the corresponding seats vacant.
2. PKR’s trouncing in Sg Bakap by-election
2024 was not a good year for PKR electorally as it failed to win the Sg Bakap by-election – which was the only one it contested in from the four held throughout the year. The by-election was held on July 6 following the death of former assemblyman Nor Zamri Latiff of PAS on May 24.
PKR, which lost the seat in the 2023 state elections after three terms, hoped to wrest back the seat by nominating former teacher Joohari Ariffin who clashed against PAS’ Abidin Ismail in a straight contest.
However, Joohari lost against Abidin who won 4, 267 majority votes, nearly threefold than the 1,563 majority votes gained by Nor Zamri in last year’s Penang state elections.
Joohari’s loss was attributed to low turnout by non-Malay voters as well as Putrajaya’s rationalisation of the diesel subsidy and the BlackRock issue which were unpopular among the electorates, according to political analysts.
3. PKR’s secretary-general, constitution switch-up
However, 2024 was also a transformative year for PKR as it underwent internal changes, with Fuziah Salleh having replaced Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail as the party’s secretary-general.
Despite the switch, Saifuddin would remain serving as Pakatan Harapan’s secretary-general.
Three months later, PKR also amended its constitution during a special congress held on December 15, to increase the number of delegates eligible to vote for PKR’s six highest office-bearers and 20 central leadership council members.
Previously, PKR grassroots members voted for the party’s top six leaders while delegates elected the 20 council members. The amendments also involve implementing gender and ethnic quotas for the delegates.
4. Umno’s double by-election victories
2024 was a rewarding year for Umno as it managed to win two by-elections held in Nenggiri and Mahkota state seats, in Kelantan and Johor respectively.
The Nenggiri by-election was held after the Kelantan state speaker vacated the seat after its former assemblyman – Mohd Azizi Abu Naim – pledged support to the federal unity government.
Meanwhile, Mahkota by-election was held following the death of former assemblyman Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain in August.
Umno successfully wrested the Kelantan state seat that it lost to Bersatu in last year’s state election through its candidate, state Umno Youth chief Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani, who won by obtaining 9,091 votes in a straight fight against his challenger from Perikatan Nasional Mohd Rizwadi Ismail, who obtained 5,739 votes.
As for the Mahkota by-election, Umno’s Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah won 27,995 votes, significantly outpacing PN’s Mohamad Haizan Jaafar, who garnered only 7,347 votes.
While Umno’s victories in both by-elections were anticipated by political pundits given the fact that both Nenggiri and Mahkota have been the party’s traditional seats, Umno interpreted the results as signs that it is regaining the Malay votes lost in the 15th general elections and last year’s state elections and that the Malays are warming up to the unity government.
5. State DAP polls: Chow and Gobind out, Steven Sim in
The year was also busy for DAP as its state chapters held their leadership elections for the 2024-2027 term – with the results of Penang and Selangor chapters having stood out from the rest given the high-profile names involved.
In Penang, Human Resources Minister and Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim was appointed the state DAP chief, succeeding state Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow who had led Penang DAP for 25 years.
Chow had earlier announced that he would not run for re-election as he wanted to pass the baton to a fresh face.
Sim’s appointment as the state party chief sparked intense speculations that he might also succeed Chow as the next Penang chief minister as it has been the party’s tradition that the state party chief is also the chief minister – although the tradition was not practised during Lim Guan Eng’s time.
Meanwhile, in Selangor, Digital Minister and Damansara MP Gobind Singh Deo – who led the state chapter for two terms – lost the party elections as he finished 16th with 675 votes, missing the top-15 cut for the 2024-2027 term.
He was succeeded by Kinrara assemblyman and Selangor state executive councillor Ng Sze Han.
Gobind’s surprising loss was described by the party’s Anthony Loke as part and parcel of a democratic process, as he thanked Gobind for his service in Selangor DAP and assured that he would continue to play an important role in the party’s national leadership as its deputy chairman.
6. Sabah whistleblower scandal
Sabah, which is no stranger to political turmoil, has found itself entangled in an alleged corruption scandal implicating several top figures in the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government, including Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
A whistleblower has come forward, claiming to have recordings and screenshots revealing a bribery scheme related to a mining scandal worth millions. Hajiji reportedly acknowledged that his name was mentioned in video recordings showing assemblymen discussing bribes, but he maintained he had nothing to conceal.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said on December 9 that it is investigating the scandal, with its chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki saying that the agency has recorded statements from 15 individuals, including eight Sabah state assembly members and the whistleblower.
Azam also said that while interviews were completed, the whistleblower has yet to hand over any evidence, citing a need for immunity protection.
He also revealed that the agency is investigating a second case involving the whistleblower, accused of colluding with a Sabah state government officer in mineral exploration activities.
Following this, the DAP CEC had given full mandate to its Sabah chapter to review its status in the state government.
The graft scandal materialised when Sabah is currently gearing up to face the next state elections, expected to take place next year, with political pundits divided on whether the scandal would hurt Hajiji and GRS’ reputation.
7. Ex-Sabah CM Musa Aman becomes state’s 11th governor
Former Sabah’s chief minister and Sg Sibuga assemblyman Tun Musa Aman was appointed as the state’s 11th governor on December 17. His appointment was controversial and instantly drew public backlash as he was mired in several corruption scandals in the past.
In 2018, Musa was charged with 35 counts of corruption amounting to US$63 million linked to timber concessions. He pleaded not guilty. In 2019, he faced an additional 16 charges of money laundering totalling over US$30 million.
By June 2020, all 46 charges were dropped, and Musa was acquitted.
– Bernama pic, December 31, 2024
Mandiri, a local NGO advocating for progressive governance, criticised Musa’s appointment, calling it a step backwards for Sabah. Director Wong Kueng Hui said that Sabah witnessed systemic cronyism, wasted public funds, and decisions that left ordinary Sabahans behind during Musa’s 15 years in power.
Meanwhile, Warisan’s Elopura assemblyman Calvin Chong warned that Musa’s appointment risked plunging Sabah back into a dark era of corruption and authoritarianism. He also questioned the integrity of appointing individuals with controversial political legacies, citing Musa’s past allegations of corruption, many of which were eventually dropped.
8. Gerakan-PAS brewing tension on beer company donation fiasco
Perikatan Nasional was not spared from intra-coalition tensions as conflict brewed between PAS and Gerakan over the issue of donations to Chinese vernacular schools by breweries.
Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau defended such donation practices after PAS triggered a controversy over a deputy minister who accepted a RM3 million mock cheque displaying a Tiger Beer logo at a fundraiser for a Chinese school in Sg Pelek, Selangor in July.
PAS had earlier said that the schools’ acceptance of donations from these companies was “unhealthy and immoral to the education system”.
The party was unhappy with Lau’s stance over the matter, with its information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari hinting that the party would not reject the possibility of severing ties with Gerakan come the next general elections (GE16).
Despite the threat from Fadhli, Gerakan maintained its stance that Chinese vernacular schools should be allowed to receive funds from any entity – with its communications chief Wendy Subramaniam saying vernacular schools were forced to receive outside funds for development and maintenance as what they received from the government was insufficient.
9. Umno-DAP friction: Akmal Saleh in the spotlight
The unity government alliance also internal feud as tensions heightened between DAP leaders and Umno Youth Chief Dr Muhammad Akmal Saleh this year – raising questions if both parties have really buried the hatched on their long-time enmity and if they could continue working together for GE16.
The conflict between DAP and Akmal began after the latter called Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming “stupid” over Nga seemingly condemning ongoing boycotts against Israel, implying that it caused the nation’s workforce to suffer dire consequences.
Akmal’s comment drew a response from his DAP counterpart Dr Kelvin Yii who called upon party leaders to push for a more mature democracy and politics, and not show immaturity by resorting to name-calling.
Yii also said that Akmal should be setting a good example even if he disagrees with the actions of a minister in the unity government.
Tensions again broke between the duo after Akmal referred to DAP vice chairman and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok as a “nyonya tua” and suggested that a “non-halal” sticker be pasted on her forehead.
This came after Kok criticised a proposal by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Mohd Na’im Mokhtar to mandate halal certification for all restaurants and food businesses, except those selling pork or alcoholic drinks.
Yii slammed Akmal for making a rude, misogynistic remark against Kok, to which Akmal responded by “reminding” the Bandar Kuching MP not to “stir the hornets’ nest” on the halal certification issue.
He also asked Yii to teach some manners to his senior colleagues in DAP and not to interfere in Malay-Islamic affairs.
10. Four by-elections this year alone
The year also witnessed a total of four by-elections taking place in state constituencies – Kuala Kubu Baharu seat in Selangor (May 11), Sg Bakap in Penang (July 6), Nenggiri in Kelantan (August 16), and Mahkota in Johor (September 28).
The by-elections were held in Kuala Kubu Baharu, Sg Bakap and Mahkota following the deaths of their respective assemblymen – Lee Kee Hiong of DAP in March and Nor Zamri Latiff of PAS in May, and Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain in August.
Meanwhile, the Nenggiri by-election was held after its former assemblyman Mohd Azizi Abu Naim – who is also Gua Musang MP – saw his seat vacated by the Kelantan state speaker after he pledged support to the federal unity government.
PAS candidate Abidin Ismail won Sg Bakap by-election, while DAP’s Pang Sock Tao won Kuala Kubu Baharu and Umno’s Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah and Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani won Mahkota and Nenggiri elections respectively. – December 31, 2024