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The fracturing of the opposition camp could give Malaysia’s grand old party a springboard back to federal prominence.
Supporters of Malaysia’s Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition attend a coalition launch event in Iskandar Puteri, Johor State, Malaysia, Jun. 7, 2026.
The decision by Malaysia’s Islamist opposition party, PAS, to sever its six-year political alliance with Bersatu ahead of the Johor state election could prove to be the biggest political gift to the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in years.
While the immediate focus has been on the future of the opposition bloc, the more consequential development may be the opportunity created for UMNO to rebuild its political dominance among Malay-Muslim voters, after a decade of declining electoral fortunes. The Johor election, widely regarded as a bellwether for national politics, could become a launchpad for UMNO’s broader resurgence ahead of the 16th General Election, which is due by 2028.
