COMMENT | It is sad that the state elections, where voters are supposed to scrutinise how well the state governments have performed, are instead being fashioned as a referendum for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

They are being used as a seductive hook to gauge his popularity or, in other words, if he would be able to complete his mandate.

It is almost the eve of the elections but the ceramah and fiery speeches are still being used to position Aug 12 as a national and not local polls.

And in doing so, we have wasted an opportunity to showcase the policies of the Selangor, Penang, and Negeri Sembilan state governments.

Or to highlight the huge lack of progress in states ruled by the federal opposition: Kelantan, Terengganu, and Kedah.

Selangor has successfully implemented...