Commenting on the political impasse after Malaysia's 15th general election resulted in its first ever hung parliament, SMU Assistant Professor of Political Science Sebastian Dettman said that in the short term, the markets have reacted to Malaysia’s political instability, adding to its economic uncertainty. However, once the government is eventually formed, it would have enough of a support base for it to have legitimacy and bring stability, Asst Prof Dettman told CNA’s Asia Now. He also noted that the political gridlock has “raised a lot of questions about racial violence and racial issues” in Malaysia, with incendiary content appearing on social media platforms such as TikTok after the election. Asst Prof Dettman added that the choice to support neither of the frontrunners shows that there are internal divisions among the component parties of the BN coalition. However, he noted that even if Barisan Nasional enters an alliance with Pakatan Harapan or Perikatan Nasional, it may disappoint voters who had originally chosen either of the two frontrunners.