PERMATANG PAUH, Malaysia: Malaysian Premier Najib Razak and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim kicked off their rival campaigns yesterday for May 5 elections likely to be the country鈥檚 closest ever.
The two competitors joined hundreds of parliamentary candidates across the nation in submitting nomination papers in their respective constituencies, marking the start of a two-week campaign that will be hard-fought.
鈥淚 am confident that the (ruling coalition) team contesting will transform Malaysia to greater heights,鈥� Najib said on his Twitter feed. Anwar registered in the northern state of Penang.
鈥淭he next two weeks are going to be a tough tumble, especially for the opposition but, God willing, we can manage,鈥� Anwar told reporters.
Anwar leads a diverse three-party alliance that hopes to unseat a coalition controlled by the powerful United Malays National Organization (UMNO), which has dominated Malaysia since independence in 1957.
The opposition Pakatan Rakyat (People鈥檚 Pact) alliance aims to build on momentum from 2008 elections in which it tripled its seats in Parliament, taking a third of a chamber long under the grip of UMNO and its allies.
Under UMNO鈥檚 Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition, resource-rich Malaysia developed into a prosperous Southeast Asian economy.
But ruling-coalition support has ebbed amid voter impatience with corruption, rising crime and living costs, and Barisan鈥檚 use of authoritarian tactics and divisive racial politics.
Most of multi-ethnic Malaysia鈥檚 29 million people are moderate-Muslim ethnic Malays who enjoy political supremacy and economic advantages over sizeable Chinese, Indian, and other minorities.
Malaysians have feverishly awaited the election as speculation has mounted over a potential opposition win, which would mark the country鈥檚 first-ever regime change.
From the bustling capital of Kuala Lumpur to the smallest villages, roadways are festooned in a riot of color from the flags of Malaysia鈥檚 many political parties.
Most political observers expect the ruling bloc to win with a reduced parliamentary majority but some say the result is too close to call.
Najib鈥檚 office has announced he will skip a Southeast Asian summit next week in Brunei to focus on campaigning, becoming the first Malaysian leader to miss the annual gathering.