Ethnic rifts flare in Malaysia as Johor polls threaten stability of Anwar’s unity coalition

Fissures along ethnic lines are being opened ahead of the Johor state election in Malaysia next month, as the Malay-nationalist Barisan Nasional (BN) moves to box in the Chinese-dominated Democratic Action Party (DAP), and political imperatives pit key government coalition members against each other. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim helms an uneasy coalition of erstwhile political rivals.

He is seeking to keep his Pakatan Harapan unity government – with the DAP as a core member – on an even keel...