PRN 2023: 3-3 Stalemate But Not Status Quo

The final tally of the six state elections on Saturday resulted in a 3-3 tie, with Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional retaining control of Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang, while Perikatan Nasional held on to Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah. Although this status quo outcome was widely expected, what do the granular results indicate about voter sentiment towards the main actors in Malaysia’s political theatre? We discuss the takeaways from the state elections with former Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming and the former Principal Private Secretary to the 8th Prime Minister Datuk Dr Marzuki Mohamad.