Malaysia GE 2018: Opposition claims victory
Votes arriving at a counting centre in Alor Setar, May 9.
Polls have closed in Malaysia as counting begins for the most hotly contested election since the country gained independence 61 years ago. We'll bring you the latest results and developments as they come in:
*UPDATE AT 2AM:
* PH GAINS ANOTHER 2: PH retains Selangor and Johor falls to PH.
* PH WINS AGAIN: Pakatan Harapan wins Negeri Sembilan, announces the Malaysian Election Commission.
*UPDATE AT 1AM:
* OFFICIAL RESULTS PT I: Ruling pact Barisan Nasional loses Terengganu, retains Perlis and Pahang; PAS wins Kelantan, while Pakatan Harapan retains Penang.
* RESULTS ARE CLOSE: Malaysian Elections Commission to call a media conference at around 130am to announce which party has won a simple majority, reported New Straits Times.
*ALL THE BEST: Malaysian's Youth & Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin says Malaysian's "voices have been heard" and wishes Malaysia "all the best".
* NOTHING TO HIDE: The Malaysian Election Committee denies it is deliberately delaying announcing official results, and that it is still trying to tally votes.
* BARRICADE: Scores of Pakatan Harapan supporters are gathering near the Prime Minister's Office in Putrajaya. The roads leading to PM Najib's official residence are being blocked by Malaysian police.
* MIDNIGHT UPDATE: According to unofficial results...
* Mahathir's comments in full:
"This isn’t fake news. You can’t take me to court for fake news. They are left far behind. The likelihood is that they would not be forming the government. We believe certain meetings are being held. And we worry what’s the intention of these meetings.
"We hope and pray that the people respect law and order.This is very serious.
"The time is very late now. By now we would know who’s winning or losing. But there’s a deliberate attempt to delay by not signing the form. I heard there was some meeting. But I don't know who’s meeting whom but it concerns the results of this election.
"It would seem that we have practically achieved that figure of 112. And the figure for BN is very much less than that. There’s no way they can catch up.
"Unofficially we have captured five states. Penang, selangor, Melaka, Negeri and Johor and kedah. So that’s six. The whole of peninsula is won by PH.
"People must know what’s their duty and must do according to what’s right according to constitution. Most importantly, don’t get in the way of announcing the results of election.
"I would like to see the King after what’s happened but question is whether he would like to see me. Without releasing the results I can’t go to see the King.
"The election commission is not doing their duty and is holding back the result."
* Dr M's declares victory: In press conference, opposition coalition leader Mahathir Mohamed claims Pakatan Harapan has won penang, Selangor, Malacca, Kedah, Negeri Sembilan and Johor; accuses Election Commission of delaying announcement of results.
He said PH has secured a simple majority of at least 112 parliamentary seats.
* PH IN THE LEAD!: As of 11.15pm, Pakatan Harapan has taken the lead over ruling coalition Barisan Nasional by 55-53. PAS has 4 seats.
*11pm update, BN wins Ayer Hitam: In closely watched seat of Ayer Hitam, Barisan Nasional's Wee Ka Siong beat Pakatan Harapan rival Liew Chin Tong by 303 votes in narrow victory, according to reports.
*Penang stays: Pakatan Harapan keeps control of Penang, according to reports. DAP chief Lim Guan Eng is holding a press conference to address the media.
*Pakatan Harapan claims victory in Negri Sembilan: PH has declared victory in Negri Sembilan, based on an unofficial vote of state seats there, ahead of any official announcement by the Election Commission.
At a press conference titled “PC pembentukan kerajaan Negri Sembilan”, which was broadcast live on Facebook, top PH leaders from the state said they have unofficially won 19 out of the 36 state seats there.
(Above) Crowds outside a counting centre in Alor Setar, May 9. Photo: Raj Nadarajan/TODAY
*Military blockade at Putrajaya?: Malaysian police have quashed rumours that a military blockade was being formed in Putrajaya, amidst talk that a National Security Council meeting might take place. The denial came after a post went viral, purporting to show several tanks and military trucks supposedly driving and parked around the administrative capital.
*PH retains Penang: Pakatan Harapan has retained the Penang government, says state DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow, who confirmed that DAP has retained all its seats, including battlegrounds in Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Tikus and Sungai Pinang.
*10pm update: Two ministers, four deputy ministers defeated.
* 2 ministers out!: Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai and Health Minister S Subramaniam have both lost their seats to their PH challengers, unofficial results show.
Mr Liow, who is also the Malaysian Chinese Association president, lost to environmentalist Wong Tack, while Dr Subramaniam, who heads the Malaysian Indian Congress, was defeated by businessman and political newcomer R Santhara Kumar of the PKR
* Najib keeps Pekan seat; Mahathir wins Langkawi: According to unofficial results, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has won a four-way fight to retain Pekan, while opposition leader Mahathir Mohamed won Langkawi.
Malaysia's deputy prime minsiter Datuk Seri Admad Zahid Hamidi wins Bagan Datuk.
* 9pm update: It's looking to be a tight race between ruling coalition Barisan Nasional and opposition Pakatan Harapan. Unofficial results showed BN leading PH 33-30. PAS has 1 seat.
*Wan Azizah wins: PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has won the Pandan federal seat as the Pakatan Harapan pact continues to catch up to Barisan Nasional. She is the wife of former Malaysian deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.
* 8pm update: Early unofficial results indicated that Barisan Nasional is leading the polls with 19 parliament seats, with Pakatan Harapan catching up with 14. PAS has yet to register a seat.
* Mistaken identity: Two brothers were beaten up at a polling station after they were mistaken for foreigners trying to vote.
* No voting after 5pm: Despite complaints of long queues at some polling centres, Malaysia's Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah said voters would not be allowed to cast their ballots after 5pm, the official closing time for the polls.
"It has been gazetted that the voting process is from 8am to 5pm and this is mandatory. We will not allow anyone to cast their votes after 5pm," he added.
Opposition leader Dr Mahathir Mohamad had earlier taken to Facebook to ask for an extension of voting hours due to the long queues. "The voting process takes time, and I hope voters get their right to vote either by quickening the process or allow them to vote after 5 pm," he said.
* Disruption by spam calls: As voting got underway on Wednesday, several candidates from both sides of the political divide claimed to have come under "cyber attacks" involving repeated anonymous calls to their handphones.
* What pollsters and experts expect: Barisan Nasional expected to retain power despite robust challenge from opposition.
