Why Malaysia’s political turmoil matters to Beijing

Peter TC Chang is a research associate at the Malaysia-China Friendship Association and a former deputy director in the Institute of China Studies at University Malaya.

As China seeks to reshape the global order, Malaysia’s political instability offers a cautionary tale about the challenges Beijing may face abroad.

A recent Pew Research Centre survey found that global perceptions of China have improved relative to those of the US, driven partly by the view among some respondents that China under President Xi Jinping is more reliable than a US led by President Donald Trump. As Washington retreats from global leadership roles, Beijing has sought to present itself as the architect of an alternative vision that, it argues, better reflects the aspirations of the developing and non-Western world.

At the centre of this ambition are Xi’s four global initiatives: on development, security, civilisation and governance.

Malaysia has emerged as an important partner in these efforts, particularly Xi’s Global Civilisation Initiative. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Xi have promoted dialogue between Confucian and Islamic traditions, reflecting a shared interest in advancing a more pluralistic global order rooted in civilisational understanding. The idea also resonates with Anwar’s long-standing vision of an “Asian Renaissance” – a belief that Asia’s great civilisations should reclaim their intellectual and cultural influence in shaping the emerging Asian century.

Yet, Anwar’s vision faces profound domestic challenges. In recent weeks, his multi-ethnic governing coalition suffered two consecutive defeats in state elections – first Johor, then Negeri Sembilan – following campaigns dominated by racial and religious appeals.

Malaysia’s two major Malay-based parties, Umno and PAS, united around a familiar message: that Malay and Muslim interests could only be protected through greater political solidarity among Malays against non-Malay parties.