A Malaysian politician from the ruling party has recommended that an electoral reform activist be executed. Outside the residence of an opposition state leader, fake funeral ceremonies are conducted. At a political rally, eggs and rocks are thrown. Malaysia is accustomed to political scandals and mud-slinging, but the increase in aggressive language and violence, particularly targeting the opposition, has surprised even experienced observers as the country approaches its most fiercely contested election in April. Lim Guan Eng, the Chinese chief minister of Penang state and a prominent figure in Malaysia's opposition, expressed concern about the upcoming election potentially being the most corrupt and violent. Supporters of the ruling party-linked group Perkasa performed a funeral ritual outside Lim's home in May, which his followers interpreted as a death threat. The escalating political tensions coincide with indications that Malaysia's ruling coalition, in power since the country's independence in 1957, may struggle to improve upon its previous poor electoral performance in 2008. This performance resulted in the opposition gaining control of five state governments and the removal of then prime minister Abdullah Badawi. A source within the dominant United Malays National Organization (UMNO) revealed to Reuters that recent internal polling indicated that the coalition was struggling to regain its two-thirds majority and was even at risk of losing its simple majority. The polls showed that the coalition could potentially lose more states and was facing a closer race than expected in southern Johor state, a stronghold for UMNO, due to decreasing support from ethnic Chinese voters. The senior UMNO source expressed concern over the potential impact of these results, stating that it would be a significant setback. The delay in elections was attributed to these challenges. Independent polls by the Merdeka Centre showed that although Prime Minister Najib Razak had a strong approval rating of around 65 percent, the coalition's popularity was much lower at around 48 percent. Najib has delayed calling for the election, which must take place by next April, indicating his uncertain confidence in surpassing the results of 2008. Ooi Kee Beng, deputy director of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, stated that "UMNO understands that their grip on power is not guaranteed," suggesting a potential shift in power unlike anything seen since 1969. This year marked by racial unrest following significant election victories by ethnic Chinese, resulting in the establishment of economic advantages for ethnic Malays over Chinese and Indian minorities. Relentless hate speech has prompted the opposition to file a police report against UMNO lawmaker Mohamad Aziz. This came after he questioned in parliament whether Ambiga Sreenevasan, a prominent electoral reform campaigner, should be executed for treason. Aziz later retracted his statement, but faced no consequences from the party leadership. Sreenevasan, who has received an International Woman of Courage award, has reported receiving death threats and has taken measures to increase her security, including hiring a bodyguard and installing security cameras at her home in Kuala Lumpur. The ethnic Indian activist has also been subjected to calls for her Malaysian citizenship to be revoked and has been labeled the "anti-Christ" by the right-wing Perkasa group. Sreenevasan expressed her disappointment at the continuous hate speech and lack of action from the leadership. Despite leading a protest for electoral reforms in Kuala Lumpur, she faced further backlash from former soldiers and market traders camping outside her house, some of whom resorted to disrespectful behavior. Najib's acquaintances portray him as a gentleman who avoids engaging in dirty politics. However, the opposition criticizes him for not strongly condemning acts of violence and intimidation, which they believe has emboldened extremists. Following a controversial remark in parliament, he cautioned coalition MPs against making statements that could offend other races or component parties. Malaysia's Home Minister acknowledged the existence of political intimidation in the current politically charged environment. Lim, a member of the opposition who was detained for 18 months in 1986 and later spent a year in prison for sedition, criticized the government for going beyond merely approving of the policy. He accused Barisan Nasional of actively supporting and condoning such acts. Anwar Ibrahim, the opposition leader who was imprisoned on what he claims were false charges, blamed UMNO for an incident where his car was pelted with stones by a group of youths in February. Anwar's daughter, opposition MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, described how a rally in her constituency was disrupted by men throwing rocks, water bottles, and eggs, resulting in injuries. This event was one of many opposition rallies that have been disrupted, sometimes violently, in recent months. It is not clear who was responsible for the attacks, however, opposition leaders are unhappy with the police's lack of action in apprehending the perpetrators or promptly addressing the violence.