Malaysians are surveying the new political landscape a day after voters delivered a blow to the country's half-century-old ruling coalition.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says he will not resign despite a big setback for his governing coalition in Saturday's election.
In the parliamentary poll the National Front lost its two-thirds majority - needed to make constitutional changes - and control of four state assemblies.
The National Front lost its two-thirds majority in parliament - its worst result since independence in 1957.
It did, however, win a simple majority, taking 139 out of 219 seats, with three more seats yet to declare.
But it did get 139 MPs in the 222-seat body, giving it a simple majority.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has resisted calls to resign.
Many voters from ethnic minorities - Indians and Chinese - who make up more than a third of the population, failed to turn out for the coalition.
Analysts blame ethnic tensions, crime and inflation for a drop in his government's popularity.
'Wrong choice'
This is a defining moment, unprecedented in our nation's history Anwar Ibrahim
Concern about a government failure to tackle renewed ethnic tension is one of the main reasons for the upset, says the BBC's Robin Brant in Kuala Lumpur.
Mr Abdullah is urging calm, amid fears there may be violence in the wake of the result.
Mahathir Mohamad says the PM should step down
Opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim hailed the result as a message that it was time for change in Malaysia.
Many of the coalition's Malay supporters abandoned it too.
Mr Anwar's Justice Party has 31 seats out of the opposition's 82 so far, making him the leader of the opposition.
Among those calling for Mr Abdullah to quit is his predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad, who accused him of destroying the United Malays Organisation (UMNO), the largest party in the National Front alliance.
Mr Abdullah, in office since 2003, said he would meet the constitutional monarch on Monday and ask to form a new government. He dismissed suggestions that he would now face pressure from party members to step down.
Mr Mahathir, who chose Mr Abdullah as his successor more than five years ago, said he had made the wrong choice.
His son-in law, Khairy Jamaluddin, told reporters: "We suffered a lot of losses tonight. But we are going to fight on. We are not going to quit. It is not the end of the world and we are going to get through this."
"I think he should accept responsibility for this. He should accept 100% responsibility," he said.
'Time for change'
'No pressure'
The BBC's Robin Brant says no one expected the opposition to do so well across the board.
Mr Abdullah responded to calls for his resignation by telling reporters: "There is no pressure at this time."
Prime Minister Abdullah denies he faces pressure to resign
He also urged calm, amid fears there may be violence in the wake of the result.
It is clear, he adds, that people wanted change and Chinese and Indian ethnic minority voters deserted the National Front, in power since 1957.
This is a defining moment, unprecedented in our nation's history Anwar Ibrahim, Justice Party
Before the elections only one state was under opposition control, Kelantan.
Mr Abdullah plans to meet the monarch on Monday to seek the oath of office, his spokesman said.
The Election Commission confirmed opposition wins in Kelantan as well as Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Penang.
The opposition now has control of an unprecedented number of seats in parliament - more than 80. Before the election, it held 19. More than 30 went to opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim and his Justice Party.
Mr Anwar said the people of Malaysia had spoken.
He hailed the result as a message that it was time for change in Malaysia.
"Today at the ballot box, you listened to your heart with a lot of conviction that the time for change has arrived..." he said.
"This is a defining moment, unprecedented in our nation's history. Today a new chapter has opened."
"This is a defining moment, unprecedented in our nation's history. Today a new chapter has opened."
Ethnic minorities
Sunday's edition of the Star newspaper in Malaysia dubbed the result a "political tsunami".
Mr Anwar has accused the government of widespread vote-rigging.
The election also saw more state legislatures come under opposition control. Before the poll only Kelantan had an opposition administration.
Voters are concerned about price rises and ethnic tensions
The Election Commission confirmed opposition wins in Kelantan as well as Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Penang.
Our correspondent says there are many people who have as many suspicions about Mr Anwar as about the National Front's leaders. But, he adds, the claim that Malaysia has free and fair elections is not a just one.
Ethnic minorities make up more than a third of the population. Many complain that government policy has denied them fair access to jobs, education, and housing.
Growing tensions between minority communities and the Malay majority have dominated the election campaign and the government has appealed for calm.
The last time the National Front suffered a big setback, in 1969, it resulted in race riots, dozens of deaths and a state of emergency.
Clashes
Some violence linked to the election was reported in the east of the country on Saturday.
Police in Terennganu State said they had fired tear gas to disperse a crowd of several hundred people protesting at what they saw as vote-rigging.
Supporters of the opposition PAS stopped buses they suspected of carrying National Front coalition supporters pretending to be voters from the district, said local police chief Ayob Yaacob.
He said that 22 people had been arrested and the rest of the crowd ran away.
Are you in Malaysia? Did you vote? How do you see the political situation developing now? Send us your comments by filling out the form below.
Your comments:
I am a Johorian student, studying journalism in the U.S. Regarding this issue, no doubt, Malaysia is a sinking ship. When all other SEA countries are developing faster and so much ahead of Malaysia in this era of Asian economic dynamism and globalization, Malaysia is heading to the place of no-where. It hurts to see our country being like this. Rebin, Kluang, Johor
I believe that voters in Malaysia has to be able to discuss the issues and views of Islam and how it affects all their lives. We need to be able to leap beyond anger, and strive for a win-win-win-win situation if not a reasonable compromise. After all, that is the principle our country is founded upon. Ken, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
It must be both ignorant and arrogant on the current government administrator to feel as if the voters will be behind them. They have betrayed us by abusing the mandate Malaysians have given them for the past half-century. Malaysia, being the world's palm oil exporter and a net oil exporter, should well be on par or exceed the economic performances of Taiwan or South Korea. Hamiraj Fahry Abdul Hamid, Shah Alam, Malaysia
Its a shame to see what happening here and they say to all the world that they are a showcase for living together. It's really coming to the point where its just a Big Lie to the world and a shame for this lovely country a westerner, malaysia
