2013 Malaysian General Election - Sunday May 5,2013

The Malaysian General Election will be held on May 5,2013 following the dissolution of the 12th Parliament by the King on the advice of the Malaysian PM Najib Razak on April 3,2013

In accordance to Malaysian law, the Parliament as well as the Legislative Assemblies of Each State  will be automatically dissolved on the 5th anniversary of the first sitting, and elections must be held within sixty (60) days. The 12^th parliament will be dissolved automatically on April 28,2013

On April 10,2013, the Election Commission of Malaysia announced nominations for election candidates would be held on April 20,2013 with General Election set for Sunday May 5,2013.
A two-week long official campaigning period between April 20-May 5,2013 has been set.

The Malaysian Parliament is Bicameral consisting of -
House of Representatives -Dewan Rakyat(Lower House) has 222 elected members, elected from single-member constituencies for a 5-year term
The Senate -Dewan Negara(Upper house)consists of 70 senators: 26 are elected by the State Legislative Assemblies, with 2 senators for each state in the Federation, while the other 44 are appointed by the King

Political Parties Position in the Outgoing Parliament

In the 2008 Malaysian General Elections,the ruling Barisan National(BN) Coalition won 140 seats and the Opposition Pakatan RakyatCoalition won 82 seats, thereby denying the BN its2/3rd majority which is required to pass amendments to the Federal Constitution.
Barisan National  lead by Najib Razak   - 135 seats
Pakatan Rakyat lead by Anwar Ibrahim -   77 seats
Others                                                       10 seats


Malaysia's governing coalition re-elected -Monday May 06,2013

Malaysia's Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Najib Razak (2nd L) celebrates his victory with Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on election day at the PWTC on May 5, 2013 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The polls saw an 80% voter turn-out, amid strong campaigning from both sides
Malaysia's governing coalition has called for national reconciliation after it was re-elected in the most hard-fought poll since independence.
Prime Minister Najib Razak's Barisan Nasional (BN; National Front) coalition won 133 of the 222 seats - its worst-ever poll result
The BN, which has been in power for 56 years, secured a simple majority but failed to regain the two-thirds parliamentary majority it lost for the first time in 2008.
As the result was confirmed, Mr Najib urged all Malaysians to accept his coalition's victory but acknowledged there was work ahead.

Anwar Ibrahim, whose opposition bloc won 89 seats

Malaysia 2013 polls

• Election was considered Malaysia's most keenly contested poll since independence
• PM Najib Razak leads the long-dominant coalition Barisan Nasional (National Front)
• Anwar Ibrahim leads the three-party opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat
• Key poll issues included corruption, race-based policies that favour ethnic Malays, and the economy
• Turnout was estimated at a record 80%, election officials said
• In 2008, of the 222 seats in parliament the BN won 140 and the opposition won 82