"Let's not place religion and politics in separate corners."

- PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang

COMMENT | No matter who wins the next general election, religious instability will be the defining characteristic of Malaysian politics for some time.

In Malaysia, where race and religion are not mutually exclusive, this means that whoever wins the election is going to have to worry about the expectations of the majority voting base not only when it comes to fiscal responsibility but also social policies.

Gerrymandering, disproportionate weightage of votes, and religious extremism will result in the continued balkanisation of the Malaysian voting polity.

I would rather all these other Malay uber alles parties be banished from the political chessboard, so it would be a straight fight between Umno and Pakatan Harapan than have to worry