COMMENT | 2022: A year for yet another reset for Malaysian democracy

COMMENT | If politics in the year 2020 was bad for Malaysia, when the elected Pakatan Harapan government was toppled via defections, 2021 was certainly worse. Yet, I believe that when we look back in the years to come, 2021 could be the norm-setting year for Malaysian democracy, albeit in the most unwitting manner.

In 2021, a lot of things happened in Malaysia - a prolonged spike in Covid-19 cases that only gradually came down in October, an emergency that was declared on 12 January with an expiry date on 1 August, multiple lockdowns which caused unprecedented economic miseries, and the fall of a Prime Minister in August.

The year also ended with a massive flood in the richest state Selangor, near the capital Kuala Lumpur, as well as in other flood-prone areas.

In January, as prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin had barely half the support in the 222-member Parliament, Umno president Zahid Hamidi pulled out his faction of Umno MPs with the intention of toppling the Bersatu-led government or getting a snap poll.

Both Zahid and former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, then and now, are still hoping for a snap election before they end up in jail if convicted on massive corruption charges.

Much earlier in October 2020, Muhyiddin attempted to impose an emergency but was rejected by the Malay Rulers. On 11 January 2021, the King finally acceded to Muhyiddin’s request. Parliament was suspended for the first time since the riots of 1969.