Kuala Lampur, Oct. 9 -- Malaysia is entering a period of political uncertainty in which no political coalition can credibly claim to be a government-in-waiting.

The 16th General Election (GE16), whenever it is held, will not necessarily produce the decisive political realignment that some commentators have confidently predicted.

Indeed, the opposite may be true.

Malaysia is approaching another electoral contest in which the fragmentation of political loyalties, the fluidity of coalition arrangements and the absence of a commanding national alternative make almost every outcome conceivable.

The central problem is not merely that the Unity Government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faces political challenges. All governments do.

Ra...