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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Islamic opposition party has won a by-election with a sharply reduced majority, in a result the coalition government hailed Wednesday as a sign its support is rebounding.
The Islamic party PAS and its partners in the Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance have won a string of by-elections since landmark national polls a year ago that produced an unprecedented swing against the governing Barisan Nasional coalition.
But in the ballot Tuesday for a state seat in the PAS heartland of Kelantan - a state it has ruled since 1990 - its majority was slashed from 1,352 votes to just 65.
The result was a further boost for the ruling coalition, after a recent opinion poll showing support for Prime Minister Najib Razak has surged to 65 per cent from 46 per cent in May, shortly after he took power.
"To me, this is a sign that a wind of change is blowing strongly over there," deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin said, according to The Star daily.
"The people now understand the value of the leadership under (Najib) and the various steps taken by the government to bring development to the country," he said.
Political analyst Shaharuddin Badaruddin said the coalition had mounted an aggressive campaign in Kelantan, with big promises for new infrastructure and development funds, but it was not enough to clinch a win.
"Regardless of the shift on the ground towards the Barisan Nasional, it is unlikely to be reflected nationally as it is only a small constituency," he told AFP.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, speaking in court where he faces sodomy charges that he says are a conspiracy to prevent him from seizing power, also insisted the governing coalition was not gaining ground with voters.
"They are only displaying minor signs of life but are still like fish gasping for breath out of water," he told reporters.
The opposition has now won six out of seven by-elections held since last year's national polls, which saw it seize control of five states and a third of seats in parliament in an unprecedented result.
However, the unlikely alliance of three parties - the conservative PAS, the liberal Democratic Action Party and Anwar's multiracial Keadilan party - has recently been hit by infighting.
- AFP/yb
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