Government Expected to Easily Win Election

Malaysia’s leader was expected to retain power easily as voting began in an election that was primarily about deciding how strong the fundamentalist Islamic opposition would be in the mostly Muslim country.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s secular coalition was almost certain to be returned to power nationally and in the vast majority of states after ballots for Parliament and 12 state assemblies are counted today.

Abdullah became Malaysia’s first new leader in a generation when Mahathir Mohamad retired in October, but has not yet secured his own mandate at the polls.