Elections in Malaysia: why is there no government yet?

What very few predicted was that Barisan Nasional (BN) would do so poorly and win just 30 seats, half the number they won in 2018. A string of by-election victories had convinced them they could do well enough to regain power. It was a catastrophic misjudgment that left the party that has ruled Malaysia for more than six decades as, at best, a junior partner in a new coalition government.