Malaysia in 2021: another regime change and the search for Malay political stability

The year 2021 marks another tumultuous one for Malaysia. There was the fall of the Perikatan Nasional government under Muhyiddin Yassin, who was replaced by Ismail Sabri of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). State elections were held in Melaka and Sarawak: UMNO made a big comeback in Melaka, while the Gabungan Parti Sarawak won easily in the state as expected. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic meant the economy was still in recovery mode, while the passage of the 2022 budget was mired in controversy over its overt emphasis on the Malay community. The infighting between the two major Malay parties of the ruling coalition - UMNO and the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia - was the main cause of political instability in the country for much of the year.