Malaysia’s 15th General Election Saga

Crisis and Party Politics in 2022

Abstract

The process of electing a new government in Malaysia has been marked by significant turmoil, not least since the 14th General Election (GE14) in 2018, leading to an increasingly unpredictable political landscape. The 15th General Election (GE15), held on November 19, 2022, ushered in a new era of political awakening for voters amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper employs a qualitative approach involving the analysis of commentary regarding the political scenario in Malaysia during GE15. The paper recalls the background factors leading up to GE15, explores the election day itself, and reviews the post-election processes. Notably, GE15 brought forth numerous developments that reverberated throughout Malaysian society. The recent political crisis in Malaysia witnessed acts of disloyalty within political parties, political self-interest, and character assassination. This historic moment in Malaysia’s political history saw three different prime ministers and three changes of government within a span of just four years (2018-2022). The present paper holds significance as it can serve as a valuable reference for forthcoming elections, generally among Malaysians and especially targeted at youth, in evaluating their desired party and right candidate of choice before casting their votes.