For the next 24 months from Jan 2026 to Dec 2027, assuming no major disruptions, the country will witness elections in 2 states and the 16th GE.
The state government’s term in Melaka ends in Dec 2026 while in Sarawak it ends in Feb 2027 and in Johor it ends in April 2027 while the term for the Federal government ends in Dec 2027.
Coming hot from the heels of the drubbing that Sabahans gave to political parties from Semenanjung, probably some will project that PMX will go the full term before calling for the 16th GE.
To have an idea whether this will happen, in early Nov 2025 before the elections in Sabah on 29 Nov 2025, at the Johor DAP Annual convention, the Secretary General of DAP, argubably the party with the largest number of MPs in the unity government, publicly reaffirmed the party’s support for holding simultaneous Federal and state elections as doing so will save costs and ensure efficiency.
Historically, state elections were always held concurrently with the federal GE, with Sarawak being the long-standing exception.
Citing there is a `window’, he said the elections in ie the elections in the 3 states mentioned could be aligned with the country’s next General Elections again as in all previous General Elections prior to the 14th GE in 2018.
Effectively, if PMX were to agree and follow the suggestion from DAP, the 16th GE could be held as early as the 4th quarter of 2026 together with the elections in the state of Johor and Sarawak that will be brought forward.
Post the results in the Sabah elections, does the Secretary General of DAP still holds on to this view or it is back to status quo i.e let the terms in the 3 states runs its own course?
If the Madani government felt vulnerable before the elections in Sabah, they must be feeling naked now.
Would UMNO and DAP continue to align themselves with PKR under the Pakatan platform for the next GE?
Highly likely because after the drubbing in Sabah, it would be suicidal if both believes that they can go alone or with a different partner.
Prior to the elections in Sabah, UMNO and BN probably believes that they can hold their own and go into the state and GE on their own.
UMNO in Melaka was the first who floated this in July 2025 passing resolutions for UMNO to go on their own in the 16th GE.
Reality dawned on all of them on 29 Nov 2025 which probably send all these potential aspirants back to the drawing board.
Not only both but the entire coalition under Pakatan and BN came out of Sabah badly mangled that all of them are now permanently disfigured or suffering from permanent disabilities that short of replacing all their respective limbs, none will be able to do any of the physical activities that they used to be able to do.
Does PN stands a strong chance if the 16th GE is held early?
Bersatu which formed PN with PAS, themselves are in turmoil presently over leadership issue.
If this issue continues in the next 6 months unresolved, the next GE could possibly be a fight between Pakatan and PAS.
Can PAS, the other party in PN, lead and drive the coalition in the face of the void left by Bersatu?
Unlikely because PAS’ “exclusionary narratives” and its leaders’ consistently “chauvinistic statements” have alienated many modern Malays and non-Muslims.
Is the widespread dissatisfaction with PMX and indirectly Pakatan translate into votes for PN?
Maybe amongst the Malay but unlikely for the non Malay.
Even though they `deserted’ Pakatan in the Sabah elections, the alternative in Sabah were the Sabah based political parties, resonating with their call for that election as Sabah for Sabahans.
There is no Semanjung for Semanjung based parties.
In Semenanjung, race based parties will continue to dominate.
So is it possible that PMX will call for an early 16th GE?
Yes,
Earliest will be by the 4th qtr of 2026.
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