Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia's ruling coalition was set to return to power in general elections Saturday, but was bracing for gains by the opposition in a protest vote by Chinese and Indian minorities against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Abdullah's National Front coalition won four parliamentary seats, according to the first official results declared by the Election Commission a few hours after polling ended. The Front had already won eight seats unopposed before the polls for the 222-member Parliament.
The National Front has ruled Malaysia for more than five decades. Analysts predicted the opposition would win 35 to 38 seats, nearly doubling its 19 seats in the outgoing Parliament.
A reduced majority for the National Front would be seen as a personal rebuke for Abdullah, who has lost much of the goodwill he had when he replaced longtime leader Mahathir Mohamad in 2003.
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