Malaysian ruling coalition suffers poll debacle

By Clarence Fernandez

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's opposition was set on Saturday to hand the ruling coalition its biggest upset ever, claiming wins in at least four states and putting the prime minister's political future at risk.

The multi-racial National Front coalition was almost certain to get a majority and form the government at the federal level, but the two-thirds majority in parliament it has held for most of its five-decade-long rule was looking shaky in early returns.

The Chinese-backed Democratic Action Party (DAP) won Penang, a manufacturing hub that is home to many multinational firms.

The opposition Islamist party PAS claimed shock victories in the northern heartland states of Kedah and Perak and crushed the ruling coalition in PAS' stronghold in northeastern Kelantan state. The opposition was also gaining in Selangor state surrounding Kuala Lumpur, the state news agency Bernama said.

"This is the biggest defeat ever since our (party's) founding 40 years ago," Penang Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon said. "I feel sad and surprised. I urge all National Front members to stay calm and not to take any action that could jeopardise peace and security in the state."

The shock defeat in Penang stirred memories of the last time the ruling coalition failed to win a two-thirds majority, in 1969, when deadly race riots erupted between majority ethnic Malays and minority Chinese.

Abdullah said he accepted defeat "in some areas" and urged people to remain calm, the Star newspaper's text message service reported.

Police officials vowed to use tough internal security laws against anyone spreading rumours and banned victory processions after the results, one of which had triggered the 1969 violence.