The two state elections, which must be held within 60 days, will not affect Anwar’s parliamentary majority but could provide a key measure of public support for his government ahead of a general election due by early 2028.

Anwar said last month he could consider an early national election if divisions within his coalition continue to widen. His alliance brings together his Pakatan Harapan bloc, former rival Barisan Nasional and several smaller parties.

Tensions have emerged over ethnic and religious issues, while some reform-minded allies have expressed frustration over the pace of promised changes. Anwar has also faced pressure from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a key coalition partner, over calls for a royal pardon for former prime minister Najib Razak, who is serving a prison sentence linked to the 1MDB scandal.

In a sign of strains within the alliance, Barisan Nasional said it would contest the Johor election independently rather than alongside Pakatan Harapan.

The outcomes in Johor and Negeri Sembilan are expected to be closely watched as an indicator of the coalition’s electoral strength and cohesion ahead of future state and national contests.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said the artworks, valued at approximately $198,000, were retrieved in coordination with U.S. authorities and form part of broader efforts to recover assets allegedly misappropriated from 1Malaysia Development Berhad between 2009 and 2014.

The collection includes Picasso’s “L’Ecuyère et les clowns” (1961), alongside works by Joan Miró, Maurice Utrillo and Balthus. Authorities said the pieces had been held in the United States and were among artworks linked to individuals associated with the fund.
The MACC said the items are now under strict security and undergoing environmental stabilisation before authentication and valuation by Malaysia’s National Visual Arts Development Board.

The repatriation follows earlier coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Justice, as Malaysia continues efforts to trace and recover assets across jurisdictions.
Authorities said some of the recovered works had previously been stored at major auction houses, including Christie’s and Sotheby’s, after being seized from a former lawyer linked to 1MDB.

Malaysia has sought to recover more than $4.5 billion believed to have been siphoned from the sovereign fund in a global scheme involving luxury assets ranging from real estate to artwork.

To date, about 31.2 billion ringgit ($7.90 billion) has been recovered, representing nearly 70% of identified assets, according to the MACC.

The 1MDB case, co-founded by former prime minister Najib Razak, has triggered investigations in multiple countries.

Najib was convicted and jailed in 2022 over charges linked to the scandal, which he has consistently denied.
The MACC said the recovered artworks may be publicly displayed before any decision is made on potential sale.