Anwar Ibrahim Rejects Early Election Amid Mafia Scandal
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- Anwar Ibrahim is unlikely to call early polls in 2026, opting to ride out the corporate mafia scandal and hoping public anger will subside.
- Ramanan Ramakrishnan denied collecting RM9.5 million to resolve legal issues, labeling the accusations a smear campaign against Anwar Ibrahim’s party and government.
- MACC has been accused of acting as a 'corporate mafia', using powers such as unilaterally freezing bank accounts to facilitate corporate manipulation and takeovers.
- NexG holds RM2.5 billion in government contracts and is linked to Anwar’s associates, prompting concerns over control and national security implications.
- Royal Commission of Inquiry has been called for in response to accusations against MACC and corporate manipulation.
- Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia saw most of its MPs follow sacked deputy president Hamzah Zainudin out the door, amid a mutiny against former PM Muhyiddin Yassin.
Why it matters: The scandal erodes confidence in Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan coalition and the MACC, while the opposition’s parliamentary bloc is weakened by defections from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, shifting the balance of power ahead of the 2026 election and raising scrutiny over RM2.5 billion NexG contracts.
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