pakatan

Pakatan is a Malay term meaning coalition or alliance. In Malaysia, it is used as the name for major political groupings formed to contest elections and pursue shared platforms. The two most prominent coalitions to bear the name are Pakatan Rakyat and Pakatan Harapan.

Pakatan Rakyat, or the People’s Pact, was formed in 2008 by the Democratic Action Party (DAP), the People’s Justice Party (PKR), and the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). It operated as a reformist opposition coalition and won several state governments while expanding parliamentary representation, challenging the long-ruling Barisan Nasional. The alliance dissolved in 2015 amid internal disagreements and divergent aims.

Pakatan Harapan, or the Coalition of Hope, was established in 2015 as a successor to Pakatan Rakyat. It initially comprised DAP, PKR, and Amanah, with the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Bersatu) joining in 2017–2018. In the 2018 general election, Pakatan Harapan won and formed the federal government, marking the first change of federal leadership in Malaysia since independence. In 2020, a political realignment often referred to as the Sheraton Move led to Bersatu leaving Pakatan Harapan and forming Perikatan Nasional with other parties; since then, Pakatan Harapan has continued as a major political coalition, typically positioned as a leading opposition bloc or governing coalition depending on electoral outcomes and alliances.

Beyond Malaysia, pakatan is a general Malay term for a coalition and appears in various political and social contexts. In Malaysian political discourse, it is specifically associated with these major national alliances and their evolving platforms.