The Prime Minister Candidate Gamble

In Malaysia’s parliamentary system, we don’t vote directly for a prime minister — we vote for Members of Parliament. Then, the party or coalition with enough seats decides who gets the top job.

That is why parties love to roll out their “prime minister candidate” before an election. A poster boy, if you will.

In theory, it seems a smart move. Naming a PM candidate gives one, clarity where voters know exactly who they are  buying into; two, signals unity where a single name shows the coalition can agree on something, which is no small feat these days; and three, creates a face for the campaign where a strong, popular candidate can carry the entire election.

But let’s be honest: this is a gamble. A loved candidate can turn the tide but an unpopular one can drag the whole campaign down.

Take GE14 in 2018. Pakatan Harapan’s masterstroke was naming Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as their PM candidate — at 92! Risky? Sure. But it worked. His name reassured fence-sitters, gave PH a face they could trust, and united an opposition that had spent years bickering. Because of this, BN’s 61-year reign ended overnight.

Fast forward to GE15 in 2022. Barisan Nasional announced Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as their man. The problem? He never quite inspired confidence, and the move did not erase public anger over UMNO’s scandals. The result was a historic wipeout , where BN got just 30 seats.

Meanwhile, Perikatan Nasional played it differently. They named Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin early, betting on his reputation as a “cleaner” choice. It split voters — some liked the stability, others never forgave the “Sheraton Move.” PN didn’t win Putrajaya, but they did surge to become the main opposition, proving that naming a candidate can pay off — if not with government power, then with political momentum.

Before 2018, Barisan Nasional didn’t even need to name a prime ministerial candidate — it was simply understood that the UMNO president would take the role. This approach worked when the president was popular, like Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who led BN to a landslide victory in the 2004 general election, winning 198 out of 219 seats. However, by 2008, growing public dissatisfaction saw BN lose its two-thirds majority and control of four state governments. Under Datuk Seri Najib Razak, as his image declined, so too did BN’s political fortunes.

So, should parties name their PM candidate? Absolutely — but they’d better be sure the person is worth voting for. 

If the candidate is credible and trusted, it can swing the election. If they are unpopular, it can sink the campaign. And, in a coalition, it also signals whether the alliance is truly united — or exposes internal divisions if no agreement is reached.