Kuala Lampur, July 22 -- JULY 22 - Politics in Peninsular Malaysia can no longer be separated from political realities in Sabah and Sarawak.

The era when federal governments could focus overwhelmingly on West Malaysia while assuming that East Malaysia would eventually fall into line has ended.

Today, the parliamentary arithmetic is unmistakable: no durable federal government can survive without meaningful support from Borneo.

This is why the Negeri Sembilan state election carries significance beyond its borders. It is not merely about who governs one state.

It is about whether the political formula adopted in Peninsular Malaysia reassures or alienates Sabah and Sarawak.

Get that formula right, and the Federation is strengthened.

Get...