KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia—Malaysia’s prime minister is promising higher cash handouts to almost half of the country’s population if his ruling coalition wins re-election next month, a move that offers the prospect of short-term stimulus, but risks long-term reliance on such payouts.
Malaysians are set to go to the polls on May 9, in a vote that will test whether Prime Minister Najib Razak can overcome the effects of the problems at state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd., or 1MDB, that have rocked his administration...