Malaysia Declares November 18 & 19 As Public Holidays, GE15 Looms Large

Malaysia's caretaker Prime Minister Ismail Sabri declared November 18 and 19 as public holidays to allow people to travel home and cast their ballots in the 15th general election (GE15).

• While the polling day is on a Saturday, some private sector businesses do operate on that day, which could prevent some employees from voting. Several state governments have also separately declared Friday and Saturday as public holidays.
• In one of his final speeches before the election, Ismail Sabri refused to speculate on a potential Cabinet line-up. However, he vowed to merge several ministries and downsize the Cabinet if he is re-elected into office.
• The acting Premier also refused to reveal who could be handed a Deputy Prime Minister portfolio if Barisan Nasional forms government, which "will all be settled once we win."
• Turnout may be affected by the weather conditions as the monsoon season sets in. The local meteorological authority has forecasted heavy rains in the evening of November 19 across most states.