Liew made this prediction at a seminar in Kuala Lumpur recently, saying that the undercurrents among Malays now will turn into a huge wave through mostly a people-to-people campaign like the 2008 general election with the ethnic Chinese and Indians.

He said the reasons for this were because of the loss of confidence in Prime Minister Najib Razak, as well as Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) helping to split Umno divisions and local elite networks in semi-urban areas, and Najib’s economic policies since 2013.

However, political analyst Suffian Mansor said this was unlikely.

“It’s hard to see this happen as there are still strong Umno loyalists,” he told FMT.

Suffian, who is a senior lecturer for Modern Chinese History and History of Malaysia (Sarawak) at UKM, said: “If there is a tsunami, then it would happen in Johor and Kedah because of former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin and former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir joining PPBM, and in Sabah’s east coast because of Parti Warisan Sabah.”

He admitted that the high cost of living may have an impact on voters but said that a “Malay tsunami” as such was still too far off.

Universiti Malaya political analyst Associate Prof Awang Azman Pawi agreed with Suffian, saying that there were still too many factors working in BN’s favour, the main one being BN Sarawak and Sabah.

“As long as BN Sarawak and Sabah are still with Putrajaya, it’s hard to believe that a political tsunami among the Malays would form,” he told FMT.

He said that an increase in votes for the opposition may happen but at the same time he believes that BN would still rule after the GE14.

He added that the opposition needed to be more proactive if they wanted to see this scenario change.

“The opposition needs to focus on the 51 seats where BN won with a slight margin. 30 out of these 51 seats are Malay majority areas.

“They also have to think of a strategy to win over PAS because the fact is that PAS hold 21 seats in parliament.”