Anwar-Zahid friction grows over Johor, N Sembilan polls: Report

Anwar-Zahid friction grows over Johor, N Sembilan polls: Report

Published: Sep 5, 2026 10:26 AM
Updated: 12:30 PM



The relationship between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his deputy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has grown increasingly tense, leading to shorter recent cabinet meetings.

Citing sources “familiar” with the matter, Bloomberg reported that the friction stems from Zahid’s decision to lead BN into the Johor and Negeri Sembilan elections against Harapan.

This is complicated by pressure from DAP to deliver institutional reforms by the end of the year and Anwar needing Zahid’s bloc for the two-thirds majority required in the Dewan Rakyat to pass constitutional amendments such as limiting the prime minister’s tenure.

Last month, former minister Khairy Jamaluddin alleged that trust between Anwar and Zahid was at its “lowest point” since the formation of the Madani government.

In response, Anwar insisted that their relationship remains good and dismissed Khairy’s assertion as a “personal opinion”.


READ MORE: BN-PN tsunami could push Harapan to worst GE outcome since 2008, S'gor defeat

On Monday, tensions between the two political leaders became obvious when Zahid, who is also the rural and regional development minister, publicly aired frustrations about funding disbursements, which fall under the Finance Ministry under Anwar’s control.

Zahid urged the Finance Ministry to expedite funding disbursements, saying contractors who had completed projects were still waiting for payment and some had been forced out of business because of cash-flow problems.

However, Treasury secretary-general Johan Mahmood Merican disputed the claim, saying the allocation for rural roads had already been fully disbursed and was not subject to any sanctions.

Johan also said Zahid’s ministry had a history of exceeding its budget, with the Finance Ministry having to identify savings from other ministries to cover the additional spending.


DAP trains its guns on Zahid

This led to attacks from DAP veteran Lim Guan Eng, who urged action against Zahid for overspending and warned that such practices could undermine the country’s financial stability.

In addition, DAP’s RSN Rayer called for the attorney-general to review the discontinuation of Zahid’s 47 corruption charges in the case involving funds from Yayasan Akalbudi, a foundation led by the BN chairperson.

RSN Rayer


The call was supported by DAP Youth, which argued that the matter was closely tied to the country’s institutional reform agenda.


READ MORE: AGC: Zahid's DNAA based on 'cogent' reasons


Tensions between the two former rivals in Putrajaya have led to speculation over whether a decisive BN victory in the upcoming Malacca polls will catalyse the coalition’s calls for a snap general election.

This leaves Anwar caught in a race for survival between BN’s political manoeuvres and the need to revive Harapan’s tired voter base.

On the other hand, Perikatan Nasional has been courting BN amid seat negotiations for the Malacca election, with PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang expressing readiness to sacrifice seats to assure unity “among Malay Muslims and with non-Malays who are not extreme”.