GE15 has been one of the fiercest fought elections in the country’s history, with a record number of more than 900 candidates vying for a place in the parliament. Voting for two seats – Padang Serai in Kedah and Baram in Sarawak – was postponed.
As the early results started to be announced at around 10pm, GPS won the first handful of seats in Sarawak. As expected, it was an early indication that the potential kingmakers of Borneo would have an important say on the formation of the next government.
With the results of around half of the parliamentary seats being finalised, a picture began to emerge: PH and PN were running neck and neck with around 30 seats won each, while BN was lagging behind at less than 20 seats at just after the 12am mark.
For PN, Mr Muhyiddin successfully defended his seat in Pagoh, Johor.
Caretaker senior minister Azmin Ali of PN, who was one of the lawmakers who defected from Parti Keadlian Rakyat in 2020 sparking a chain of events that led to the fall of the PH administration, failed to defend his seat in Gombak. He lost to Selangor chief minister Amirudin Shari.
Meanwhile, Mr Anwar captured the Tambun seat in Perak. He switched base from Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan to contest there, a move regarded by those in his camp as a strategic move that could help PH to return to power in Putrajaya.
PH’s Nurul Izzah Anwar, daughter of Mr Anwar, lost the Permatang Pauh seat in Penang to PN’s Muhammad Fawwaz Mat Jan.
The seat has been described as a "family seat" that represents Mr Anwar's legacy. The seat had been held by their family since 1982 – first by Mr Anwar, and then by his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, followed by Ms Nurul Izzah.
Several BN stalwarts, including caretaker finance minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz (Kuala Selangor), caretaker health minister Khairy Jamaluddin (Sungai Buloh), Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (Gua Musang) and Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (Putrajaya) lost in their contests.
BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi managed to defend his Bagan Datuk seat in Perak with a slim majority while caretaker prime minister Mr Ismail Sabri Yaakob also managed to retain his seat in Bera, Pahang.
With around three-quarters of all seat results announced, BN, which was by then in firm third place behind PH and PN, issued a statement saying that it “accepts and respects” the people’s decision.
The outcome of GE15 is a “big signal” from the people to the coalition, said Ahmad Zahid.
The coalition remains committed to contributing to the formation of a stable government, he added.
Gerakan Tanah Air, led by former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, failed to win a single seat.
KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysians cast their ballots Saturday in a watershed election, with multiple parties running neck and neck amid global economic headwinds.
Nearly 1,000 candidates -- the oldest being 97-year-old former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad -- are battling for 221 parliamentary seats. The latest surveys showed none of the three major camps on track to win at least half the seats, possibly setting up a scramble for alliances to form a government.
The opposition Hope Pact led by longtime leadership aspirant Anwar Ibrahim aims to recover the mandate it won in 2018, which was snatched away by the incumbent National Front through unprecedented political maneuvering. The core of the National Front, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's United Malays National Organization (UMNO), sees that loss as a blip in its otherwise uninterrupted run in power since independence.
Polling ended at 6 p.m. local time, and the results should crystallize by the wee hours of Sunday.
3:45 a.m. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim claims his Hope Pact coalition also has enough support from lawmakers to form the next government without providing details about which lawmakers or political parties are backing him.
"I am announcing that we have obtained the majority [of seats]. Majority means more than 111 seats," Anwar told reporters. "We have to first submit documents to the King. [Hope Pact] has the biggest bloc and we have the understanding to form the government," added Anwar.
3:20 a.m. National Alliance coalition leader Muhyiddin Yassin declares his alliance will form the next government in collaboration with other parties. The National Alliance, which so far has won 70 seats, is expected to work together with National Front, which has 30 seats, and the Borneo parties, which secured 31 seats so far. Muhyiddin, however, did not commit to any agreements with any parties and added that all negotiations will be completed by Sunday evening.
3:15 a.m. Anwar wins the Tambun seat in the northern state of Perak by 3,736 votes. He defeats former federal minister Faizal Azumu, who represented the National Alliance coalition.
2 a.m. The election commission reports that of the 222 seats being contested, the National Alliance led by former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is narrowly leading with 62 seats, ahead of the Anwar Ibrahim-led Hope Pact's 61. The ruling National Front has so far claimed 26 seats.
12:00 a.m. The Anwar Ibrahim-led Hope Pact has officially won 28 seats and is seen leading in 65 constituencies, while the National Alliance led by former leader Muhyiddin Yassin has been declared winner in 26 seats while leading in 43 seats. The ruling National Front is seen winning 15 and leading in 18 seats.
11:50 p.m. Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has failed to defend his Langkawi parliamentary seat, an unofficial count confirms. He lost his deposit after failing to gain at least 20% of votes cast.
Mahathir, 97, who served twice as the country's prime minister for a cumulative 24 years, was trailing the winner from the National Alliance by more than 11,000 votes.
This is Mahathir's first defeat in parliamentary elections since 1969. He was vying for his 10th term as a federal lawmaker
Mahathir told Nikkei Asia in a recent interview that he would retire if he lost his seat.
Separately, Prime Minister aspirant Anwar Ibrahim, who leads the Hope Pact coalition, won the Tambun constituency in northern Perak state by more than 4,100 votes, an unofficial count shows. He defeated former federal minister Faizal Azumu, who represented the National Alliance coalition.
10:35 p.m. National Alliance chairman and former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin wins the Pagoh seat in the southern state of Johor, reports state news agency Bernama.
Meanwhile, an unofficial count shows Anwar Ibrahim's Hope Pact leading in 64 constituencies, the Muhyiddin-led National Alliance leading in 39 constituencies and the National Front, which includes UMNO, ahead in 19 seats.
9:20 p.m. The Anwar Ibrahim-led Hope Pact is seen leading in 54 constituencies, while the National Alliance led by former leader Muhyiddin Yassin is ahead in 37, based on unofficial figures. The ruling National Front is seen trailing, with an edge in just 17 constituencies. Vote counting continues and is at various stages nationwide.
8:20 p.m. The Anwar Ibrahim-led Hope Pact is seen leading in 47 constituencies, while the National Front is seen ahead in 13. The constituencies are at various stages of counting.
The unofficial results come from the respective state voting centers, where the official numbers will only be announced after the conclusion of all votes in a constituency
7:00 p.m. The latest turnout data, as of 4 p.m., shows a ratio of 70%, or 14.8 million voters.
6:00 p.m. It's closing time at the polls. Now we wait for the results to trickle in.
Ballot boxes will be sealed by Election Commission officials and transported to the counting centers. Each parliamentary constituency will have one counting center.
As of 3 p.m., turnout stood at 65%, or 13.7 million people.
5:25 p.m. The Election Commission has suspended voting in Baram, on the island of Borneo, due to bad weather. This means the total seats up for grabs on Saturday will be 220, instead of the original 222. A separate polling date will be announced in due course for Baram as well as Padang Serai, where the vote was postponed until next month due to the sudden death of a candidate.
3:55 p.m. Some Malaysians used the occasion to engage in some cos-playing, showing up to cast their ballots dressed as superheroes like Captain America, Predator, Iron Man and Power Rangers.
3:50 p.m. Over 12.2 million voters had cast ballots as of 2 p.m., 58% of all those eligible.
3:45 p.m. Turnout is one key factor to watch. Another is how younger citizens vote. As many as 1.4 million of the 21.17 million eligible voters are first timers, after the minimum age was lowered to 18 from 21.
2:15 p.m. The Election Commission says 50% of voters had cast their ballots by 1 p.m., a slower pace than in 2018 when the percentage at the same time was 55%. However, this year the voter base is larger, and the number of voters having cast their ballots by 1 p.m. was 10.5 million, compared to 8.22 million four years ago.
2:00 p.m. The meteorology department warns of thunderstorms and heavy rain in the southern state of Johor and in some parts of Sabah state, on Borneo island.
1:50 p.m. The country's Election Commission tweets that by noon 42% of voters had cast their ballots. Turnout for the last federal election, in 2018, was 82%.
1:20 p.m. The skies above the capital clear up after a morning drizzle, but local media report that voters in the interior areas of the state of Sarawak, on Borneo, are braving floodwaters to cast their ballots.
1:00 p.m. Former prime ministers Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin appear at their polling stations to cast votes.
11:10 a.m. Anwar Ibrahim, who leads the opposition coalition Hope Pact, arrives at a polling center in Penang state and casts his vote alongside many other citizens. Ismail Sabri Yaakob, prime minister and vice president in the ruling UMNO, is also seen casting his ballot in Bera, Pahang state.
8:00 a.m. Election day is underway as the polls fully open. A key question is how the monsoon season might affect turnout. The Meteorological Department gave a mixed forecast for election day, with rain expected in some parts of the country.
Women show their inked fingers after voting at a polling center in Kuala Lumpur on Nov. 19. (Photo by Hakimie Amrie)
7:00 a.m. Pollster Merdeka Center For Opinion Research in its latest survey on Friday projected opposition coalition Hope Pact to lead with 82 seats, out of 221, followed by National Alliance with 43. UMNO-led National Front is expected to garner 15 seats, with 45 considered a tossup.
KANGAR, Perlis - Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad lost his seat in Parliament after residents of Langkawi on Saturday voted to put Perikatan Nasional (PN) in control of the island constituency.
It is the 97-year-old’s first defeat in Malaysia’s parliamentary elections since he lost in 1969.
The Langkawi seat was won by Datuk Suhaimi Abdullah from PN, with 25,463 votes, on Saturday.
Tun Dr Mahathir managed to garner only 4,566 votes – less than the 12.5 per cent vote threshold required to keep his deposit as a candidate.
Barisan Nasional’s Armishah Siraj came in second with 11,945 votes. Datuk Armishah is a member of the Kampung Kuah Umno branch in Langkawi and is familiar with issues on the ground.
In comparison, Dr Mahathir won 54.9 per cent of the 34,527 valid votes in the 2018 General Election, beating BN’s 29.1 per cent.
He is widely respected for bringing prosperity and development to the island by declaring it a tax-free haven in 1987, when he was Malaysia’s premier. The move drew a slew of tourism investments, including an international airport, ferry services and luxury hotels.
This loss deals a final blow to Dr Mahathir’s Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang), which contested a total of 121 parliamentary seats, 13 of which were in Kedah.
Kedah, which includes Langkawi, is also Dr Mahathir’s home state.
Voters were unconvinced by Dr Mahathir’s promise of repairing the country’s economy and bringing back foreign investments and jobs by eradicating corruption within the government and cleaning up some RM42 billion (S$12.7 billion) in national debt racked by up former prime minister Najib Razak.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department, in a Facebook post, warned that in Johor, heavy rain and strong winds are expected in Batu Pahat, Kluang, Pontian, Kulai, Kota Tinggi and Johor Bahru, while in Sabah, it involves Tawau and Sandakan.
According to the weather agency, a warning is issued when there are signs of a thunderstorm with an intensity of rain exceeding 20mmh that is "close or expected to occur for more than an hour".
A thunderstorm warning is a short-term warning valid for a period "not exceeding six hours for a single issue".
Mr Tan Sun Yu, 25, was “happy” to vote for the first time on Saturday in Tambun.
He is autistic and was accompanied into the voting booth by his mother, Mrs Tan Pek Imm, 54, who said participating in this democratic process will make her son feel more accepted in society, “just like every other Malaysian”.
Datuk Seri Anwar told reporters after voting in Permatang Pauh in Penang that he was “cautiously optimistic” of PH’s chances, after several polling houses projected that the opposition coalition will win the most seats.
Meanwhile, Umno president Zahid Hamidi joined dozens of voters queueing up to vote at Madrasah Sg Nipah in Bagan Datuk, Perak. He walked to the polling station at 8.15am with dozens of supporters, his wife and his daughter, who were also queueing up to vote.
Speaking to reporters after casting his ballot, Zahid reiterated his belief that his Barisan Nasional coalition has the numbers to win the election, despite pollsters showing them lagging behind rivals.
“As at midnight, after doing headcount at voting districts, after minusing 20 per cent casualties we are confident we have the numbers to form the next government,” he said.
BN TOUTS PROVEN TRACK RECORD, OFFERS DPM POSTS TO BORNEO STATES
In a video on Facebook, BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the coalition’s track record has proven that its leadership has always remained loyal.
“The presence of BN leaders during difficult and good times has proven that we are very close to the peoples’ heart,” he said, adding that the coalition is offering experienced leaders who are able to handle the country in good and bad conditions.
“The experience of 22 months of Pakatan Harapan government has shown that a leader who is only popular, is not enough if he is not supported by the Cabinet line-up, who are experienced and the party is supported by the grassroots.
“Similarly, if a leader has led for 17 months but failed to provide good continuity, then clearly, the coalition should not be given the mandate to make Malaysia an experimental country.”
Ahmad Zahid, who is also president of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), has also pledged to propose the appointment of deputy prime ministers from Sabah and Sarawak if the coalition can form the government.
He also said that this is in line with BN’s commitment to revive the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
The MA63 issue refers to the restoration of Sabah and Sarawak’s status as outlined in the 1963 agreement, which gives the two states and Malaya equal status as the original founders of the Malaysian federation.
It seeks to undo the 1976 amendment to the constitution which placed Sabah and Sarawak with the rest of the states in Malaysia, seen as a downgrade by many Sabahans and Sarawakians.
BANGKOK: Thai police fired rubber bullets on Friday (Nov 18) in clashes with dozens of protesters trying to march to the venue of an Asia-Pacific summit in Bangkok.
Around 50 people demonstrated against the event and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha threw rocks, bottles and broken glass during half an hour of scuffles with hundreds of riot police.
The incident took place near the Thai capital's Democracy Monument, around eight kilometres from the conference hall where Prayut was hosting US Vice President Kamala Harris and other leaders from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
The drama kicked off when protesters barbecued chillies on a police car and billowed the spicy smoke towards the riot squad.
Police said 25 people have been arrested on charges of assault, vandalism, arson and obstructing officers.
Ten people suffered minor injuries in the afternoon clash, according to the Erawan Medical Centre.
"We weren't able to control the situation, that is why the use of force was necessary," Royal Thai Police Major General Archayon Kraithong told reporters in Bangkok.
Authorities have erected shipping containers to block the path of protesters near the monument.
Around 28,000 police have been deployed to secure the APEC summit, which is also being attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders from Japan, South Korea, Canada and Australia.
Former coup leader Prayut is deeply unpopular in Thailand and in 2020 there were mass youth-led pro-democracy street rallies attracting tens of thousands at the peak, calling for his resignation.
He is due to face voters at an election in the coming months.
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