Muhyiddin’s charges – partly linked to a stimulus programme launched during his 18-month reign between 2020 and 2021 – come hot on the heels of similar charges levied against two other leaders of his Bersatu party, and a move by the MACC to freeze the party’s accounts as part of investigations into alleged corruption during political fundraising.

Malaysia’s Muhyiddin pleads not guilty to abuse of power, money laundering

Bersatu leaders have maintained that they did nothing illegal while fundraising, which is not governed by any specific law in Malaysia, and that they were merely going about it in the same way that every other political party does, including Anwar’s People’s Justice Party (PKR).

Politicking notwithstanding, the decision to freeze Bersatu’s accounts has led to some real-world consequences.

Muhyiddin and his party now need to figure out how to fund their campaign ahead of the six state elections later this year, which analysts say will show the level of support for Anwar and his administration among the Malays, who account for more than 60 per cent of Malaysia’s 32 million population.

A senior leader of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), a key member of the PN coalition, told local news portal The Malaysian Insight on March 15 that the freezing of funds has forced the alliance to more than halve its campaign budget.

03:14

Former Malaysian PM Muhyiddin Yassin charged with corruption

Former Malaysian PM Muhyiddin Yassin charged with corruption

But the crackdown on corruption, launched in December after Anwar raised the notion of an alleged breach of procedure in how Muhyiddin’s administration handled up to 92.5 billion ringgit (US$20.7 billion) in public money, could end up being a double-edged sword for the prime minister.

The speed at which the authorities took action, soon after Anwar took power in November, could end up alienating large swathes of undecided voters as the opposition plays up sentiments around the perceived victimisation of Malay nationalists by Anwar’s multiracial government, according to analysts.

Politicking, however, is just one part of the equation. An even bigger hurdle facing Anwar’s government is persistent inflation, especially the elevated cost of basic protein sources beloved almost universally among Malaysians – chicken and eggs.

There is little Malaysia can do about the cause of inflation – Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to a sharp spike in the cost of grain used in chicken feed, which in turn forced local breeders to dial back on output as they faced the prospect of steep financial losses due to strict price controls imposed by the authorities.

Malaysia’s PM Anwar scrambles to fix egg shortage amid cracks in production

Anwar’s government has, so far, managed to source eggs from India to help stabilise local supply, but it remains to be seen if the same can be done for chickens.

As one political analyst pointed out to me in a private chat recently, Eid – or Hari Raya Aidilfitri as it is known in Malaysia – the time marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, is just around the corner, and no Malay family would bear the shame of hosting an open house without festive favourites like chicken rendang.

“If Anwar’s government fails to secure an affordable supply of chickens by then, the Malays will be furious. You can guess what will happen at the state elections,” said the analyst.