Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS)

The Kuala Lumpur exhibition challenges the exclusionary narratives advanced by the Malay right-wing. But are the country’s two political camps talking past each other?

With right-wing rhetoric proliferating online, the Anwar government has been forced to walk a fine line between free speech and censorship.

A recent Federal Court ruling has highlighted the tension between the Federal Constitution and Sharia laws passed by conservative state legislatures.

The Islamist party PAS is ascendant, but Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's current response to the group risks doing more harm than good.

The Malaysian prime minister is hoping that by tackling one challenge – corruption – he can make inroads into the other two.

This month's state elections saw broad electoral gains for the Malay nationalist PN coalition, the result of years of far-right rhetoric and organizing.

In Saturday's six state elections, Anwar's government and the Malay nationalist opposition each retained control of three states.

Ahead of the August 12 elections, the country remains highly politically polarized along ethnic lines.

For years, the caretaker chief minister of Kedah state and his party have whipped up Malay grievances that threaten to undermine the country's ethnic and social cohesion.

The May 13-14 raids stem from the religious right's growing attack on LGBTQ symbols and expression.

Despite Anwar Ibrahim’s ultimate victory at the head of a progressive, multi-ethnic coalition, the space for more pluralistic politics in Malaysia is closing.

While the November 19 election resulted in a victory for his multi-ethnic Pakatan Harapan bloc, the forces of conservative Malay nationalism have perhaps never been stronger.