While Malaysia experiences a record number of state elections – the 'side dishes' – it is the next general election that will decide many fates.

Strategically positioned in the South China Sea, Malaysia's largest island is attracting international interest even as its residents continue to grapple with water shortages, blackouts, and poor roads.

From partisan loyalty to political credibility, the factors shaping Malaysian voters' choices often extend far beyond a politician's private conduct.

A Malaysian security source sheds new light on the 2013 armed incursion, revealing how rival claims to the Sulu throne and a desperate bid for recognition helped drive the deadly standoff.

The Sulu Sultanate is looking for a fresh start, but healing the wound left by the Lahad Datu intrusion will require far more than diplomacy and dialogue.

A senior Sulu politician, who has overseen the Philippine province's emergence from decades of turbulence into a new era, believes its ties with Sabah are still strong.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak's move from prison cell to house arrest has shifted the dynamics within the unity government and opened up fresh questions about what comes next.

Umno is beating the drum for an early GE16, but the arithmetic in the Dewan Rakyat suggests the road to the polls may not be in its hands.

The shifting fortunes of Umno, Bersatu, and their various partners show how quickly an indispensable ally can become expendable – and useful again.

A conversation in Manila about the similarities between Malaysian and Philippine politics takes on a more troubling resonance as corruption cases in KL reach the highest levels of power.

The DAP may have good reasons for remaining in the unity government, but the longer it stays, the harder it becomes to convince disillusioned supporters that principle matters more than position.

Like in politics, it's all relative when talking about the economy. It depends on what is on one's plate.