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By Mihar Dias August 2025
Malaysian politics loves recycling old cast and plots. Just when the rakyat were lulled into thinking the Madani government had secured a peaceful two-thirds majority to last a generation, along comes Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, leading 12 opposition parties into what’s being billed as a “loose coalition.” https://newswav.com/A2508_lGnau1?s=A_Tjesbkd&language=en
Loose or not, history teaches us that in Malaysia, anything stitched together with duct tape and a little desperation can eventually topple even the mightiest governments.
On paper, Hassan Abdul Karim insists this is a healthy development. Two big blocs staring each other down across the Dewan Rakyat floor, like well-fed cats circling a single bowl of ikan kembung. He even calls it a “more peaceful atmosphere” as we head to GE16. https://newswav.com/A2508_lGnau1?s=A_Tjesbkd&language=en
Perhaps, but peace in Malaysia’s political vocabulary usually means the calm before the next storm.
The line-up of this new coalition is telling. You’ve got the Malay-Muslim anchors — Bersatu, PAS, Pejuang, Putra. Then Gerakan to wave a Chinese-based party flag, a sprinkling of Indian outfits like MIPP and PPP to prove “inclusivity,” plus the token idealists MUDA and PSM, who probably still believe in manifestos.
It’s a rainbow coalition in theory, but more like a pasar malam in practice: a little bit of everything, quality control uncertain, but the crowd might just love the variety.
For Anwar Ibrahim and his Madani experiment, the timing is awkward. The “reform” government, two years on, has a reform record that increasingly looks like a half-written essay — good introduction, some impressive bullet points, but no conclusion.
The rakyat, meanwhile, still grapples with cost of living, subsidy cuts, and the familiar haze of corruption allegations floating through ministries like seasonal smog. These are the exact issues the opposition bloc is sharpening into weapons.
And let’s not forget the ruling bloc’s own talent for self-sabotage. When Umno Youth and DAP Youth are fighting louder than they’re working, the optics aren’t great. Every childish spat is a free gift to the opposition — one less press statement for PN to draft.
Yes, Anwar’s government has the numbers today. Yes, it’s stable compared to the revolving-door regimes of 2020–22. But Malaysians have seen this movie before: strength today, collapse tomorrow. Ask Najib. Ask Muhyiddin. Ask Ismail Sabri if anyone remembers him.
If GE16 becomes a referendum on Madani’s unfulfilled promises rather than its inclusive slogans, then Muhyiddin’s loose coalition may suddenly look like the stronger, hungrier alternative. Loose coalitions have a way of tightening up when power is in sight. And if the rakyat grows weary of “stability without progress,” the Madani government’s much-vaunted two-thirds majority may start to feel less like a fortress and more like a sandcastle at high tide.
In other words, Madani may hold the fort for now — but the termites are already inside the walls.
Mihar Dias (mihardias@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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