COMMENT | As PKR’s party leaders adopted a defensive and denial mode in their party convention of growing loss of public support last weekend, reminiscent of Umno, Malaysians are increasingly turning away from politics.

If there has been one important trend in the past few years, it is a growing ambivalence and distrust in politicians.

The last year of Anwar has deepened these sentiments, with more believing politicians are the problem rather than the solution to Malaysia’s challenges.

This expansion of negativity about politics, accentuated by the hardship of the Covid-19 crisis and divisive use of racialised politics, reinforces the view that despite...