Get to know Malaysia's political landscape
Malaysian politics runs on coalitions — several parties working together to form a government. This is a brief & neutral map to help you understand who is allied with whom.
Party symbols on this page are taken from the official list Simbol Parti Yang Berdaftar Dengan SPR (as at 13 April 2023) — these are the symbols that appear on the ballot paper. Shown for identification & educational purposes only; they are not an endorsement.
The Unity Government
After GE15 produced a hung Parliament (no single coalition won a majority), several coalitions agreed to form a Unity Government in November 2022, led by a Prime Minister from Pakatan Harapan.
Pakatan Harapan (PH)
The coalition leading the Unity Government
A coalition campaigning on institutional reform & renewal.
Component parties include:
PKR — People's Justice Party
DAP — Democratic Action Party
AMANAH — National Trust Party
UPKO & others
Barisan Nasional (BN)
The coalition that governed Malaysia for decades
Malaysia's longest-standing coalition; joined the Unity Government after GE15.
Component parties include:
UMNO — United Malays National Organisation
MCA — Malaysian Chinese Association
MIC — Malaysian Indian Congress
Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS)
A Sarawak-based coalition
A coalition of Sarawak parties focused on state interests & autonomy.
Component parties include:
PBB — Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu
SUPP — Sarawak United Peoples' Party
PRS — Sarawak People's Party
PDP — Progressive Democratic Party
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)
A Sabah-based coalition
A coalition of Sabah parties focused on state interests & rights.
Component parties include:- Local Sabah parties
- (composition changes over time)
The Opposition
The largest coalition that did not join the Unity Government forms the opposition in the Dewan Rakyat — playing an important role in scrutinising & checking the government.
Perikatan Nasional (PN)
The main opposition coalition after GE15
A coalition that previously led the federal government (2020–2022) and is now the main opposition bloc.
Component parties include:
BERSATU — Malaysian United Indigenous Party
PAS — Malaysian Islamic Party
GERAKAN — Malaysian People's Movement Party- n/aPWN — Parti Wawasan Negara (new, 2026)
Independent & smaller parties
Outside the major coalitions
There are also smaller parties, regional parties, and independent candidates. Their role can become significant, especially in a finely balanced Parliament.
Examples:
MUDA — a youth-based party- —Regional parties & independent candidates
New parties (2026)
The political landscape shifts constantly. Two new parties emerged in 2026. Neither yet appears in the official SPR symbol list we reference (dated 13 April 2023) — symbols will be added once the SPR list is updated.
Parti Bersama Malaysia (BERSAMA)
Led by Rafizi Ramli & Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad
A reformist & technocratic party, taken over and rebranded from the Malaysian United Party in May 2026. At the time of writing, it operates as a new party outside the major coalitions.
Parti Wawasan Negara (PWN)
Led by Hamzah Zainudin & Saifuddin Abdullah
Registered in July 2026 by former BERSATU leaders, and became a component party of Perikatan Nasional. It advances a "New National Consensus" platform.
Political Spectrum Map
Where does each party sit? The map below is a simplification to help you understand general tendencies — not a definitive assessment, and not an endorsement.
Progressive
- DAPPH · social democratic
- BERSAMAnew · reformist-technocratic
Centre-Left
- PKRPH · reformist, socially liberal
- AMANAHPH · moderate Islamic
- MUDAprogressive · youth
Centre / Regional
- GPSSarawak · state autonomy
- GRSSabah · state autonomy
Centre-Right
- UMNO / BNMalay nationalist · multiracial
- MCA · MICBN components · ethnic-based
Nationalist / Right
- BERSATUPN · Malay nationalist
- PASPN · Islamist
- PWNPN · new 2026
Malaysian politics has several axes — economic (left–right), ethnic & religious, and federal–regional — which do not fit onto a single straight line. Regional parties like GPS & GRS, for example, focus more on state autonomy than on the left–right axis.
How this map was made: Ajar Demokrasi compiled this map based on information available online and general reference material — not the product of a comprehensive study. The positions here are estimates based on commonly cited general characteristics, and they are open to dispute.
So please treat this as a basic reference only. Changes are likely to occur given how fluid Malaysian political dynamics are — parties can shift positions, coalitions, and even leadership.
For more accurate and up-to-date information, we advise referring directly to the manifestos and official statements of the parties themselves. This map is a tool for understanding — not an endorsement of anyone.
How should you evaluate a party?
Rather than taking sides, ask everyone the same questions:
Policy & manifesto
What are they promising, and is it realistic & clear?
Track record
What have they already done in power or in Parliament?
Local candidate
Who is the candidate in your area, and can they be trusted?
How should you evaluate your Member of Parliament?
After the election, the real work begins. Your MP represents your constituency for five years — and you have every right to assess their performance based on evidence, not impressions or what goes viral on social media.
Parliamentary performance ratings
Several independent initiatives track MPs' attendance, participation and records. Use these dashboards to get a picture of their performance.
Digital Parliamentary Hansard
The Hansard is the official record of every debate in the Dewan Rakyat. Search your MP's name to see what they actually raised — or whether they spoke at all.
Parliamentary questions
How many questions have they filed, and about what? Do they touch on your constituency's issues — or only topics that attract media attention?
How to access answersConstituency service
Is their office easy to reach? Do they show up on the ground, hold sessions with residents, and resolve local problems?
Promises vs actions
Compare what they promised during the campaign with what they actually did & how they voted in the chamber. Consistent or not?
Transparency & integrity
Are they transparent about the use of constituency allocations, business interests, and asset declarations?
How to access your MP's Oral & Written Answers
Every question filed by an MP — along with the official reply from the ministry — is published on the official Parliament of Malaysia website. It is free and open to the public.
-
Open the official Parliament of Malaysia website
Go to parlimen.gov.my.
-
Choose the chamber
Select either Dewan Rakyat (Members of Parliament) or Dewan Negara (Senators).
-
Choose the answer type
Select Jawapan Lisan (Oral Answers — questions answered verbally in the chamber) or Jawapan Bertulis (Written Answers — written replies from ministries).
-
Download the PDF & search for your MP's name
Download the document by date, then look for your MP's name inside it. Tip: press Ctrl + F (or Cmd + F on Mac) in your PDF reader to find the name quickly.
References
- Party symbols — Simbol Parti Yang Berdaftar Dengan SPR sehingga 13 April 2023, Election Commission of Malaysia. spr.gov.my
- Oral & Written Answers — Parliament of Malaysia. parlimen.gov.my · Hansard: hansard.parlimen.gov.my
- Perikatan Nasional & its components (PAS, BERSATU, GERAKAN). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perikatan_Nasional
- Parti Bersama Malaysia — led by Rafizi Ramli & Nik Nazmi (May 2026). The Rakyat Post
- Parti Wawasan Negara — registered July 2026, PN component. ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parti_Wawasan_Negara
Take a guess — which party might suit you?
This quiz is only a basic introduction to policy positions and the political spectrum.
Try it now! →