Despite rifts and fissures, Malaysia's PH coalition remains intact

FROM recent and ongoing ructions, it might seem that Malaysia's ruling coalition is at risk of being riven by internal conflict.

In June, Malaysia was convulsed over a sex video which implicated Economics Affairs minister Azmin Ali. A furious debate ensued, with calls for Mr Azmin to step down. But after Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad refused to sack him and the police said they were unable to ascertain the identity of two men in the video, the furore evaporated from both social media as well as mainstream news outlets.

Then came the controversy over the teaching of Arabic calligraphy known as khat. Since Malaysian Education Minister Maszlee Malik broached the subject earlier this month, leaders representing Chinese and Tamil schools have demanded that the proposal be withdrawn. Mr Maszlee has tried to explain that khat would only be an activity, not a subject in itself. The counter argument has been that the fuss is not about learning the Arab script. The central issue, claim the detractors, is that the education system is being taken over by ulamas (clerics) and the Malay far right to advance their religious agenda. There is also an argument that primary school children are already overburdened without having new elements being added to the curriculum.