Malaysia’s Anwar eyes snap poll before fuel subsidy crunch truly bites

Malaysia’s Anwar eyes snap poll before fuel subsidy crunch truly bitesWith his coalition crumbling and former allies defecting, Malaysia’s prime minister has a fast-narrowing window to secure a fresh mandate3-MIN READ3-MIN1ListenPublished: 2:38pm, 19 May 2026Updated: 3:21pm, 19 May 2026Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is considering calling a snap election before a mounting fuel subsidy crisis forces him to make spending cuts that would strip him of the conditions needed to win one.A national vote is not due until early 2028, but the political logic of going early is becoming harder to dismiss. Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) alliance is fraying at the edges, coalition partner Barisan Nasional has announced it will contest the coming Johor state poll alone, and two of his most prominent former lieutenants just walked out the door.Against that backdrop, Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim held an audience with Anwar on Monday, a day after the prime minister had publicly mused about seeking a fresh mandate if internal divisions continued to widen.Select VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x