Malaysia votes: Badawi faces major challenge

Kuala Lumpur (dpa) - Malaysia's political parties and independent political hopefuls on Friday wrapped up 13 days of campaigning a day before the country's 12th general elections.
Campaigning by parties and candidates over the past two weeks has been largely in the form of public rallies and talks, with candidates launching personal attacks on rivals as well as focusing on issues such as a rise in crime, a sluggish domestic economy, increasing racial tension and rising corruption in government.
More than 10.2 million people are expected to vote in Saturday's polls, in which the ruling National Front coalition is expected to win.
Led by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the coalition has been in power since the country's independence in 1957 but Saturday's elections are expected to see several key parliamentary seats hotly contested.
In the last elections in 2004, the National Front secured an overwhelming two-thirds majority of contested parliamentary seats, a feat many analysts and observers believe won't be repeated in Saturday's polls.
One major sign of increasing dissatisfaction towards the government is the occurrence of several massive public rallies last year, where tens of thousands of Malaysians took to the streets to seek a cleaner government and fair elections, as well as demand equal rights for minority ethnic groups.
The opposition, in its campaign speeches, has called on the people to help vote in a stronger opposition presence in Parliament in order to create a greater check and balance in government.
"It is the removal of the two-thirds parliamentary majority and end of political hegemony which are the prerequisites for Malaysia to achieve excellence, glory and distinction," said Lim Kit Siang, secretary-general of the opposition Democratic Action Party.
Abdullah has appealed to voters to continue giving the coalition a strong mandate, saying that he needed "more time" to make good his promises of a cleaner government.
"We are not 'deaf' for we hear what the people say. We are not 'asleep' for we are working," he said.
At stake in Saturday's elections are 222 seats in the Parliament. Twelve of Malaysia's 13 states will also go to the polls simultaneously to elect state legislatures. Most of the results will be known by early Sunday.

tunku : it up to the voters now, the power is in your hand.Vote wisely and choose the right candidates.