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Malaysia's opposition wins by-election
By VINCENT THIAN,Associated Press Writer AP - Sunday, January 18
KUALA TERENGGANU, Malaysia - Malaysia's opposition won a parliamentary by-election Saturday, marking another setback for the ruling coalition nearly a year after its worst ever performance in national polls.
Mohammad Abdul Wahid Endut from the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party won the heated contest for the Kuala Terengganu city seat, defeating Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh of the National Front coalition with a majority of 2,631 votes, the Election Commission said.
The seat fell vacant after the incumbent, a National Front member, died in November.
The by-election result will not change the balance of power in Parliament, where Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's National Front retains a comfortable majority.
But Saturday's defeat nevertheless dealt a blow to the government after its big losses in general elections last March to a three-party opposition alliance led by former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
It was the ruling coalition's second consecutive electoral loss after Anwar won a by-election in September to return to Parliament as opposition leader after a 10-year gap.
It could also be considered a setback to Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, coming just three months before he takes over the premiership. Najib led the National Front's campaign in both by-elections.
"The results showed that the momentum for change is still there," said Mohamad Nasaruddin Isa, deputy president for the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party which is a member of Anwar's opposition alliance. He said it was a vote of no-confidence for Najib as leader of the country.
Najib played down the importance of the by-election.
"Of course this a setback for us," he said, adding, "we will not be disheartened by this result."
Nearly 80 percent of the 80,229 people eligible to vote cast their ballots at 36 polling centers, officials said.
The National Front's popularity plunged last year amid growing complaints by Chinese and Indian minorities of racial discrimination. Many Malays also backed the opposition in general elections last March because of dissatisfaction with rising prices, corruption and crime.
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