KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 1 -- From political showdowns and policy implementation to major cultural and sporting events, here's what to watch in the year ahead for Malaysians.

National spending, Umno plans

First and foremost, 2026 marks the beginning of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) with the theme of "Melakar Semula Pembangunan", outlining how the government plans to spend on the country's development for the next five years until 2030.

In January, the anticipated 2025 Umno General Assembly will take place from January 14 to 17.

As a coalition partner in the current administration, Umno is under the spotlight over whether it will continue cooperating with Pakatan Harapan (PH) and if the alliance will survive beyond the next general election,...