Here are the key issues in GE15.
Economy, inflation
Rising prices and economic prospects are voters’ top considerations as the government and central bank have warned of slowing growth next year.
Prices have been creeping up, especially for food items, even as growth is expected to slow to 4%-5% next year from this year’s forecast 6.5%-7%.
The government has said it will trim subsidies next year due to fiscal pressures, which could result in further price increases if the next administration proceeds with the plan.
“The top issue (in the election) would be socioeconomic wellbeing, which is rapidly deteriorating,” said Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow with Singapore’s Institute of International Affairs.
Most of Malaysia’s ethnic-Malay majority would expect Umno to be the “most willing to provide handouts during these harsh times”, he said.
Political stability
Malaysians have been frustrated with the politicking that has rocked the country since the opposition ended six decades of Umno rule in 2018. Umno leads the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
Malaysia’s first opposition victory by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition was led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who had previously been prime minister when he was with Umno.
Since its ouster, Umno has tried to make its way back to power and has been the main source of turmoil, with infighting both within its ranks and with its coalition partners.
The country has had three prime ministers in the last two years.
Announcing the dissolution of parliament, Ismail said political instability had hurt the economy, saying the mandate must be returned to the people.
Analysts expect disillusionment with the instability to hurt voter turnout.
Corruption
Graft was a key reason for Umno’s defeat in the 2018 general election (GE14), and some critics say a convincing Umno win could worsen corruption and see the return of graft-tainted politicians to power.
Several of the party’s top leaders were charged after the GE14 loss. They are the ones who urged Ismail to call for early polls.
Ismail last month announced a wide-ranging misconduct probe against a former attorney-general who had brought graft cases against Umno officials.
Former prime minister Najib Razak, along with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and several other senior party officials, faced dozens of corruption charges. All have denied wrongdoing, with Najib and Zahid calling the charges against them politically motivated.
In August, Najib started a 12-year jail term for corruption and money laundering in a case linked to the multibillion-dollar financial scandal 1MDB. He still faces four other trials.
Race and religion
Race and religion remain divisive issues in Malaysia, a multi-ethnic country of 32.7 million people.
Ethnic Malays, who are also Muslims, and indigenous groups make up about 70% of the population. The rest are mostly ethnic Chinese and Indians.
Conservative Malays are split between Umno and Bersatu, which is led by Muhyiddin, analysts say.
Many had felt sidelined as the former PH administration, with Mahathir as prime minister, saw a higher number of non-Malays appointed to high-ranking cabinet positions.
Umno built its support over the years through a strong system of patronage, especially with ethnic Malays.