Organizer: ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute
Type/Location: Hybrid / Singapore
Description:
Malaysia’s interesting political journey continues into 2026. The Madani government has maintained stability despite persistently struggling to win Malay support, while public confidence has cautiously grown alongside improving economic conditions. Malaysia has also navigated an extraordinary period in foreign policy as the ASEAN Chair, amid efforts to diversify trading partners.
As Malaysia enters the fourth year of the Madani Administration, we unpack some key factors that will impact its trajectory towards the end of the political term. Drawing on opinion polling, this seminar will spur conversations on the following questions:
What are the preexisting voting patterns in the country, particularly by community and age groups? Will the youth continue to remain anti-establishment and take a leaf out of the global phenomenon of “Gen Z” dissatisfaction towards authority?
What is the current state of electoral sentiments on decisive issues, such as corruption, identity politics, and economic performance? What insights can we gather from the Sabah election results?
How do voters perceive the ruling coalition and the opposition, now well beyond the mid-term of the political cycle?
What are the prospects and issues that may drive Malaysia voters’ choices in the future Sarawak and Malacca State Elections, and ultimately the 16th General Election.
About the Speaker:
Ibrahim Suffian is co-founder and programs director of Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research, a leading public opinion polling and political surveys organisation. Ibrahim was a World Fellow at Yale University in 2011 and is presently a visiting fellow at the Malaysian Institute for Strategic and International Studies.
Registration:
To attend the event in person, please register here.
To attend the event virtually, please register here.