COMMENT | KKB confidence-building for Harapan, but warnings persist

COMMENT | Pakatan Harapan candidate Pang Sock Tao’s comfortable win in the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election was indeed an impressive one.

The overall vote share increased from 54.4 percent to 56.6 percent and the previous majority was almost maintained - 4,119 in 2023 versus 3,869 in 2024 - even though turnout decreased from 67.6 percent to 61.5 percent (see Table 1 below).

This victory was achieved amid difficult external conditions at the national level including cost of living pressures, accusations that DAP was slowly turning into another MCA, and 3R (race, religion, royalty) issues being played up directly and indirectly by the opposition Perikatan Nasional.

How did Harapan achieve this victory? Who are the winners and losers of this by-election? What are some of the likely impacts of...