COMMENT | The Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election is tomorrow. Unless there is a big last-minute swing, this close contest still favours the incumbent, DAP.

The lacklustre two-week campaign offers insights into how Malaysian politics is (or is not) changing. Campaigns continue to be shaped by racialised narratives and past practices, in which those in government adopt the tactics of those in previous governments, using an incumbent advantage to secure victory.

Now, over six years after the 14th general election, Kuala Kubu Baharu’s campaign showcases the entrenchment (and limitations) of race-based narratives and highlights the reliance on the incumbent advantages of control of power to stay in power.

This piece discusses how these factors have shaped the campaign.