Malaysia's ruling coalition gains simple majority in parliament
Source: Agencies |
May 6, 2013, Monday
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MALAYSIA'S ruling National Front coalition won a simple majority of 112 seats in the 222-seat parliament in yesterday's election, the Election Commission said, signalling it would extend its 56-year rule in the Southeast Asian nation.
The opposition alliance had 58 seats with more than two-thirds of the seat results confirmed, according to the official results.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim had earlier claimed victory in the election, warning the Election Commission and the ruling party of Prime Minister Najib Razak not to "hijack" the results.
A record number of voters cast ballots in yesterday's elections.
The opposition alliance is the most unified challenge yet to Najib's National Front coalition, which has triumphed in 12 consecutive general elections since independence from Britain in 1957.
The opposition had hoped to capitalize on widespread allegations of arrogance, abuse of public funds and racial discrimination against the ruling coalition.
Many of the seats won were in the National Front's traditional rural strongholds, especially in Borneo, where Anwar's alliance had been hoping to make major inroads to bolster its chances of victory.
More than 10 million Malaysians cast ballots for a record turnout of 80 percent of about 13 million registered voters, the Election Commission said in preliminary estimates. They were also voting to fill vacancies in 12 of Malaysia's 13 state legislatures.
Even if it retains power, the National Front showed clear signs of vulnerability compared to its peak in 2004, when it won 90 percent of Parliament's seats.
The opposition stayed in control of northern Penang state, one of Malaysia's wealthiest territories, and remained strong in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's biggest city, where middle-class voters have clamored for national change.
Three well-known Cabinet ministers and at least one state chief minister were likely to lose their seats. The Malaysian Chinese Association, the second-biggest party in the ruling coalition, saw many of its candidates defeated as Malaysia's ethnic Chinese minority community continued to abandon the National Front.
Some people lined up for over an hour at schools and other voting centers, showing off fingers marked with ink to prevent multiple voting after they had finished.
The National Front held 135 seats in Parliament before the polls. It's anxious to get a stronger five-year mandate and regain the two-thirds majority it held for years but lost in 2008.
The opposition alliance had 58 seats with more than two-thirds of the seat results confirmed, according to the official results.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim had earlier claimed victory in the election, warning the Election Commission and the ruling party of Prime Minister Najib Razak not to "hijack" the results.
A record number of voters cast ballots in yesterday's elections.
The opposition alliance is the most unified challenge yet to Najib's National Front coalition, which has triumphed in 12 consecutive general elections since independence from Britain in 1957.
The opposition had hoped to capitalize on widespread allegations of arrogance, abuse of public funds and racial discrimination against the ruling coalition.
Many of the seats won were in the National Front's traditional rural strongholds, especially in Borneo, where Anwar's alliance had been hoping to make major inroads to bolster its chances of victory.
More than 10 million Malaysians cast ballots for a record turnout of 80 percent of about 13 million registered voters, the Election Commission said in preliminary estimates. They were also voting to fill vacancies in 12 of Malaysia's 13 state legislatures.
Even if it retains power, the National Front showed clear signs of vulnerability compared to its peak in 2004, when it won 90 percent of Parliament's seats.
The opposition stayed in control of northern Penang state, one of Malaysia's wealthiest territories, and remained strong in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's biggest city, where middle-class voters have clamored for national change.
Three well-known Cabinet ministers and at least one state chief minister were likely to lose their seats. The Malaysian Chinese Association, the second-biggest party in the ruling coalition, saw many of its candidates defeated as Malaysia's ethnic Chinese minority community continued to abandon the National Front.
Some people lined up for over an hour at schools and other voting centers, showing off fingers marked with ink to prevent multiple voting after they had finished.
The National Front held 135 seats in Parliament before the polls. It's anxious to get a stronger five-year mandate and regain the two-thirds majority it held for years but lost in 2008.
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