Malaysia GE16: UMNO, PAS push for early polls but Anwar likely to wait till late 2027 — SkimNews
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- Deputy PM Zahid Hamidi and Islamist ally PAS publicly called for Parliament to be dissolved "the earlier the better," targeting a possible end-November 2026 poll.
- PM Anwar Ibrahim holds 150 MPs in the 222-seat chamber and can afford to lose 40 while retaining his simple majority of 110.
- Budget 2027 — expected to be tabled Oct 9 — is widely viewed by analysts as an "election" budget, with its defeat signaling Parliament's loss of confidence in Anwar.
- ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute's Francis Hutchinson said Anwar "will hold off as long as possible," citing potential PETRONAS-Sarawak deal progress that could lock in 23 Gabungan Parti Sarawak MPs.
- Malaysia's 70th independence anniversary on Aug 31 and the September SEA Games make October-November 2027 the most attractive polling window.
- Malaysia's election calendar has never included December or January polls due to monsoon flooding; 8 of 15 general elections fell in March-May, but two 2027 Hari Rayas rule those months out.
- BN's Johor and Negeri Sembilan state poll wins in July and August have emboldened Zahid's push for early federal elections.
Why it matters: With UMNO holding just 30 of Anwar's 150 governing MPs, Zahid needs defections from across the coalition to defeat Budget 2027 and force a dissolution. Hutchinson flagged a potential PETRONAS-Sarawak oil-and-gas agreement as the key factor keeping 23 GPS MPs loyal through the term's end — without it, the snap-election math becomes far easier for UMNO.
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