A scandal off the stage can end a politician’s career in Malaysia

SHAH ALAM – In Malaysia’s politics, personal scandals often leave a lasting mark on how leaders are judged, with their private lives closely tied to their public image.

Unlike in Western countries, Malaysian voters tend to judge politicians through moral and religious lenses, making personal conduct a key factor in determining credibility and long-term political survival.

Political analyst Professor James Chin said Malaysian voters generally do not separate private lives from public roles, especially among the country’s Muslim electorate.

"Muslim voters are very particular about the private lives of the politicians, especially things dealing with Islam.

"So, when you deal with extramarital sex affairs or prostitution, they will be very sensitive towards this sort of thing," he told Sinar Daily.

He said while scandals may not necessarily undermine trust in political institutions, they can significantly damage confidence in individuals.

He said while politicians often resort to denial as a form of damage control, the strategy rarely works as intended.

Most leaders caught in scandals, he said, simply “keep denying, denying, denying,” but this approach no longer convinced the public.

"Even though you deny, people most of the time do not believe you, but over time they may forget about it until somebody reminds them of it," he said.

He added that in today’s digital age, it has become almost impossible for politicians to escape their past, as “the internet will not forget anything.”

He said somebody would somehow drag up old news or old videos and show them to the public again.

Chin also pointed out the cultural differences between Malaysia and the West in how voters perceived personal controversies.

He said in Western countries, especially in countries like France, they drew a line between private life and public life.

This, he said did not mean that the scandal will not blow up, but people do draw a line.

"In Malaysia, they don’t draw a line. What you do privately will affect your political life as well," he said.

Meanwhile, political analyst Arif Anwar Lokmanol Hakim said a politician’s survival often depended on how current issues were framed in the public eye and whether these can overshadow a scandal.

"This perception depends on how current hot issues are played out, whether they can overshadow the scandal or not.

"If yes, and the person is later charged in court, that becomes a red flag for the politician’s image," he said.

He added that personal scandals were often distinct from institutional corruption, unless the issue involved state funds or abuse of power.

"If it’s purely a personal matter, it doesn’t affect political institutions. But if public money or government resources are involved, then it can damage public trust in those institutions," he said.

Arif pointed out that politicians must defend themselves with reasonable evidence that can convince netizens while using responsible language.

He stressed that behavioural reform was equally important, whether in leadership style or through a stronger focus on the people’s agenda, so the public can see improvements that overshadowed the scandal.

Arif also acknowledged that the expectations placed on leaders in Malaysia extended beyond administrative competence, saying that while personal life should ideally be separated from official duties as long as integrity, focus and leadership values remained intact, the reality was different.

He said politics carried both moral and symbolic weight, as leaders were not just administrators but also reflections of the values held by society.

He added that Malaysia’s collective culture meant personal scandals will likely continue to influence political careers.

"Asian societies including Malaysia still judge leaders based on moral values, religion and collective culture.

"Therefore, personal scandals tend to spark widespread negative reactions more easily.

"In contrast, Western societies are more inclined to separate personal matters from administrative duties," he said.