Next Malaysian general election

The next general election in Malaysia is scheduled to be held by 17 February 2028. It will determine the composition of the Dewan Rakyat, which determines the government of Malaysia. Redistribution and boundary changes for the constituencies are expected to take place by 2026, with the last taking place before the 2018 general election.^[1]

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, leader of Pakatan Harapan, currently leads a coalition government consisting of PH, BN, GPS, GRS, WARISAN and other minor parties.^[2] Perikatan Nasional (PN) and the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA) sit as the opposition.^[3][4]

The 2022 general elections saw PN make gains primarily in the northern peninsular states of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu in what was dubbed as the Green Wave.^{[5][6][7][8][9][10]} It resulted in a hung parliament for the first time in Malaysian electoral history.^[11]

Elections in Malaysia are conducted at the federal and state levels. Federal elections elect members of the Dewan Rakyat, the lower house of Parliament, while state elections in each of the 13 states elect members of their respective state legislative assembly. As Malaysia follows the Westminster system of government, the head of government (Prime Minister at the federal level and the Chief Ministers, the so-called Menteri Besar, at the state level) is the person who commands the confidence of the majority of members in the respective legislature – this is normally the leader of the party or coalition with the majority of seats in the legislature.

The Dewan Rakyat consists of 222 members, known as Members of Parliament (MPs), that are elected for five-year terms. Each MP is elected from a single-member constituency using the first-past-the-post voting system. If one party obtains a majority of seats, then that party is entitled to form the government, with its leader becoming the Prime Minister. In the event of a hung parliament, where no single party obtains the majority of seats, the government may still form through a coalition or a confidence and supply agreement with other parties. In practice, coalitions and alliances in Malaysia generally persist between elections, and member parties do not normally contest for the same seats.

The party commanding a majority support in the Dewan Rakyat is called upon by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to form a government and present its nominee as Prime Minister of Malaysia, whereas the largest party in the opposition bench nominates a candidate for Leader of the Opposition.

The incumbent ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition had previously won the 2018 election prior to collapsing in the aftermath of the 2020 political crisis. Following the 2022 election that resulted in the country's first hung parliament, the multiracial and reformist coalition formed a negotiated unity government under the leadership of longtime opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.^[12][13] Perikatan Nasional (PN) acts as the main opposition at the federal level following its loss in 2022 and the leadership's refusal to participate in the unity arrangement. The far-right former ruling coalition was formed amid the 2020 crisis which led to the formation of a PN-led government under Muhyiddin Yassin.^[12] Barisan Nasional (BN), the country's former ruling coalition of 61 years, continues to retain substantial support and kingmaker capacity. The coalition had undergone a pragmatic shift in the aftermath of the last election, participating in the unity government and allying itself with PH, its longtime historical rival, as a junior coalition partner. The two coalitions also planned an electoral pact for the upcoming election, intending to avoid seat overlaps while uniting their election machineries with the goal of maintaining the pre-election status quo.^[14][15]

In addition to the major national coalitions, a number of regional parties and coalitions in East Malaysia are expected to be key players due to their potential as kingmakers in the post-election government formation. Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), a Sarawak-based coalition formed by former BN components, presently dominates politics in Sarawak and commands a significant bloc of parliamentary seats. In Sabah, the two largest parties are Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), the ruling state government, and Parti Warisan (WARISAN), the state's main opposition. GRS supports stronger federal-state cooperation and is seen as closer to the unity government,^[16] whereas WARISAN takes a more antagonistic stance against the federal government, utilising 'Sabah for Sabahan' rhetoric while simultaneously sitting in the government bench.^[17] The performances of these regional parties and their decisions to align with specific national coalitions is seen as key in determining the post-election government formation owing to the country's fragmented party system.

The Constitution of Malaysia requires that a general election be held in the fifth calendar year after the first sitting unless it is dissolved earlier by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong following a motion of no confidence, loss of supply or a request by the prime minister.

The 15th Parliament of Malaysia first convened on 19 December 2022. If the term of the 15th Parliament reaches its maximum date, it will automatically dissolve on 19 December 2027, paving way for an election within 60 days. The latest date for the 16th General Election will therefore be on 17 February 2028.

While any state may dissolve its legislature independently of Parliament, most of them had historically dissolved at around the same time as Parliament such that federal and state elections are held simultaneously. In accordance with Malaysian law, Parliament as well as the legislative assemblies of each state would automatically expire on the fifth anniversary of the first sitting of a term, unless dissolved prior to that date by the relevant heads of state on the advice of their respective heads of government. Elections must be held within sixty days of expiry or dissolution.

The 15th General Election witnessed 148 governmental seats and 74 non-governmental seats filled the Dewan Rakyat. The government side has 43 safe seats and 9 fairly safe seats, while the other side has 21 safe seats and 10 fairly safe seats.