Malaysia: General elections May 9

Event

General elections will be held on May 9 throughout Malaysia, following the dissolution of the parliament by Prime Minister Najib Razak. Parties will officially nominate candidates on April 28, who will then have 11 days to campaign. The election date was intentionally chosen to come before Ramadan - a major festive period for the Muslim-majority country - which begins on May 15.

Context

15 million people are eligible to vote. Candidates will vie for 222 national parliamentary seats and 505 state seats (with state elections held everywhere except the eastern Borneo state of Sarawak, which conducted its state election in 2017). A simple majority of 112 parliamentary seats will deliver a victory to Najib, who is leading the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition against the challenge of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. In the last general elections held in 2013, BN managed to win 133 out of the 222 seats..

Advice

As a precautionary measure, individuals present in Malaysia are advised to avoid public rallies, refrain from discussing domestic political issues, and anticipe a heightened security presence in urban areas.