“This has nothing to do with whether this government can deliver our bread and butter, if they can lower the prices and so on,” said Mr Wong Chin Huat, a political scientist at Sunway University.
“Even if the government manages the economy well, the opposition will have plenty of ways to force the Malay voters to ask: ‘Do you want to choose a Malay-dominated government, or one that is small and multi-ethnic?’”
In an interview with local media to mark his one year in power, Mr Anwar dismissed accusations that his administration was not Malay or Islamic enough.
To win back Malay votes, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the dominant party within BN that was once considered the sacred party for the Malays, plans to bolster the Malay economic agenda through colloquiums and conventions.
Mr Anwar said a year is too short to fairly assess his government, adding that his ministers need to be given more time and opportunities to improve and boost their performance.
However, he did not rule out a cabinet reshuffle if the situation demanded it.