Malaysia's ruling party heads for big victory<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's
\nNational Front coalition yesterday appeared headed for a
\nlandslide victory in Malaysia's ninth general election, early
\nreturns showed.<\/p>\n
The opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) saw its bid for
\npower in Penang, dubbed Malaysia's \"Silicon Valley,\" crumble when
\nits leader, Lim Kit Siang, failed to unseat Chief Minister Koh
\nTsu Koon.<\/p>\n
Koh won by 3,600 votes despite the DAP's pledge to work for
\ngreater equality for all Malaysian races, a battle cry that the
\nparty had thought would appeal to Penang's ethnic Chinese
\nmajority.<\/p>\n
National Front candidates also swept the first 19
\nparliamentary wards in the timber-rich eastern state of Sarawak,
\nalthough the mostly Christian opposition, the Parti Bersatu Sabah
\n(PBS), appeared to be holding ground in neighboring Sabah.<\/p>\n
Lawyer Yunof Maringking of the PBS won a seat to parliament
\nfrom Tuaran, a rural ward. The PBS also won in the Christian
\nstronghold of Bandau where federal deputy minister Jeffrey
\nKitingan crashed to his nephew, Maximus Ongkili.<\/p>\n
According to unofficial returns, the National Front was
\nleading in many of the constituencies electing MPs to the 192-
\nseat Dewan Rakyat, or lower house of parliament.<\/p>\n
The National Front also appeared ahead in many of the 385
\nwards electing representatives to 11 of Malaysia's 13 state
\nassemblies<\/p>\n
The ruling coalition went into the polls with an early lead,
\nhaving won 11 seats in parliament uncontested when nominations
\nclosed on April 15.<\/p>\n
It also took nine seats in four state assemblies uncontested.<\/p>\n
Mahathir had campaigned for re-election on the platform that
\nonly his multi-racial coalition could ensure the stability
\nMalaysia needed to continue rapid economic expansion and full
\nemployment.<\/p>\n
Malaysia's economy has grown by more than eight percent
\nannually over the past seven years, fueled by huge inflows of
\nforeign capital that have transformed the country into a newly-
\nindustrialized nation.<\/p>\n
\"We have done our best. We hope to win by more than a two-
\nthirds majority, \" the 70-year-old Mahathir, oozing self-
\nconfidence, declared late Monday.<\/p>\n
Results in Malaysia's ninth parliamentary elections at 1350
\nGMT<\/p>\n
Total 192<\/p>\n
Results announced 36<\/p>\n
National Front 31<\/p>\n
Democratic Action Party (DAP)<\/p>\n
All-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS)<\/p>\n
Sabah Unity Party (PBS) 5<\/p>\n
Spirit of 46 (Semangat 46)<\/p>\n
Others<\/p>\n
The 14-party National Front had a two-thirds majority in the
\noutgoing Parliament with 138 seats. DAP was the largest
\nopposition party with 20 seats, PAS had seven, PBS three, and
\nSpirit of 46 six.<\/p>\n
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