THE year 2018 was marked by many firsts for Malaysia, most notably the results of the 14th general election on May 9. While GE14 made headlines around the world, with many hailing Malaysia as an example of democracy at work, the year was also defined by many other highlights.

The Malaysian Insight brings you some of the highs, lows and defining moments of the year gone by.

January

1. Federal Court decides that consent of both parents is needed to change a child’s religion. The ruling follows the culmination of the unilateral conversion case of Hindu mother M. Indira Gandhi’s children by her Muslim former husband.

2. Dr Mahathir Mohamad is named the prime minister candidate for the Pakatan Harapan coalition, with then PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as his deputy.

February

1. Former Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli and former Public Bank clerk Johari Mohamad are found guilty and sentenced to 30 months’ jail by the Shah Alam Sessions Court for breaching the Banking and Financial Institutions Act (Bafia) in relation to leaking of the National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd’s accounts. Even though he chose to appeal the decision, Rafizi did not contest in GE14.

2. Indonesian authorities seize the Equanimity vessel, which the US Department of Justice has alleged was bought with money siphoned off from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

March

1. Pakatan Harapan launches its manifesto, Buku Harapan, and pledges to fulfil 10 promises within 100 days.

2. Dewan Rakyat passes a motion to redraw electoral boundaries after the former Barisan Nasional government uses its majority to win 129 votes for and 80 votes against the motion.

April

1. The Anti-Fake News Bill 2018 passes the policy stage in the Dewan Rakyat following a bloc vote. It passes with 123 voting in favour and 64 against.

May

1. Barisan Nasional loses for the first time in Malaysian history the GE14. Pakatan Harapan takes over Putrajaya.

2. Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng announces Malaysia’s RM1 trillion debt.

3. Anwar Ibrahim receives a royal pardon after PH’s victory and is released from jail a few weeks earlier than scheduled.

4. Dr Mahathir sets up the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) aimed at advising the prime minister on socio-economic and financial matters. Its members include former Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz, former president and CEO of Petronas Hassan Merican, billionaire Robert Kuok and prominent economist Dr Jomo Kwame Sundaram.

June

1. The goods and services tax (GST) ends on June 1.

2. Prominent lawyer Tommy Thomas is appointed attorney-general.

3. Reports surface of a 41-year-old Malaysian rubber trader taking an 11-year-old Thai girl as his third wife. The news sparks anger from various parties nationwide and across the globe, and highlights the problem of child marriage cases in Malaysia.

July

1. The first post-GE14 by-election is held in Sg Kandis after the death of PKR assemblyman Mat Shuhaimi Shafie from cancer.

2. Former prime minister Najib Razak is charged with three counts criminal breach of trust and one count of abuse of power.

August

1. The CEP ends its 100-day tenure.

2. Another by-election is held in Balakong after the death of DAP’s Eddie Ng in a car accident.

3. PH repeals the Anti-Fake News Act with a simple vote.

4. A third post-GE14 by-election is held in Seri Setia after former assemblyman and Selangor executive councillor Prof Dr Shaharuddin Badaruddin dies of cancer.

5. Najib is charged with three counts of money-laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, Anti-Terrorism Financing Act and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.

September

1. Two Terengganu women are caned after being found guilty of attempting to have sex. The two, aged 22 and 32, are caned six times each in the Terengganu Shariah High Court.

2. Najib is slapped with 25 new corruption charges linked to the 1MDB scandal. The new charges include four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money-laundering.

3. Danyal Balagopal Abdullah vacates his Port Dickson parliamentary seat to make way for Anwar Ibrahim.

October

1. Anwar wins the Port Dickson by-election with 31,016 votes.

2. Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi claims trial to 45 counts of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money-laundering involving RM114.15 million.

3. Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, claims trial to 17 charges of money-laundering and tax evasion.

November

1. PH tables its first federal budget.

2. A group of masked men attack the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in USJ25, Subang Jaya, at 2am. Several people are injured and multiple cars set on fire, sparking two days of riots.

3. Auditor-General Madinah Mohamad confirms that the 1MDB audit report was tampered with and altered to remove the fact that fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, was present at a meeting of the scandal-plagued fund’s board of directors.

4. Rosmah claims trial to another two counts of corruption in relation to a solar-hybrid project for Sarawak schools at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

December

1. Several Malay rights groups, Umno and PAS supporters hold a rally in Kuala Lumpur against the ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

2. Fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, 24, dies from injuries sustained when he was allegedly assaulted during the Seafield temple riot.

3. In Sabah, 16 Umno members, including nine assemblymen, five MPs and two senators, leave the party. – December 31, 2018.