Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has cited the election of Democrat Abdul El-Sayed as the first Muslim to the United States Senate as an example of growing acceptance of racial and religious diversity in American politics.

The issue also resonates in Malaysia, where race and religion remain fixtures of political discourse and electoral contestation.

However, Anwar himself has not been spared criticism from those who argue that his administration has reinforced, rather than eased, these sensitivities.

“They understand democracy and reject racism. Those who defeated President Donald Trump's Republican Party in the US are people who oppose racism.