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Malaysia votes in key by-election Ruling party wins Malaysia vote
(about 17 hours later)
Voters in Malaysia go to the polls in a crucial by-election in a tiny district that has transfixed the country. A key by-election in Malaysia has been won by the government.
It is the first time that former deputy prime minister-turned-opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has headed a campaign since being released from jail in 2004. The National Front coalition increased its majority in a contest thought to be the final test of public opinion before a general election.
Mr Anwar is barred from standing for public office until April 2008, but is trying to make a political comeback. The opposition People's Justice Party of the former deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, has alleged that the poll was marred by irregularities
The contest in Ijok, near Kuala Lumpur, is seen as the last test of public opinion before the next general polls. But the government has denied charges of fraud, saying the allegations were "tired and predictable".
The fight in the semi-rural district pits the governing National Front coalition against the opposition People's Justice Party, led by Mr Anwar's wife. This campaign marked Anwar Ibrahim's return to frontline politics.
The Justice Party is unlikely to win and is already alleging electoral malpractice, the BBC's Jonathan Kent in Kuala Lumpur says. Tense atmosphere
But the government will want to prevail comprehensively if it is to call early nationwide polls, our correspondent says. The People's Justice Party, led by his wife, had fielded a strong candidate. Mr Anwar had spent several days wooing the 12,000 voters of the little district of Ijok outside the capital.
He says that there is a growing expectation that the government will call an election before the end of the year. Mr Anwar's Party claimed there had been fraud
Anwar's comeback The opposition hoped to deliver a blow that would shake the government's confidence ahead of a possible general election late this year. But it did not happen.
Last month, Mr Anwar announced that he was ready to return to active politics in defiance of the legal ban. Amid a tense atmosphere and with riot police separating rival supporters, Ijok recorded its highest ever turnout.
Mr Anwar said if the People's Justice Party backed him, he would run for its presidency in June. Both sides increased their tally but the government's majority rose slightly to 1,850 out of 10,000 votes cast.
Mr Anwar served six years in prison for corruption and sodomy. A vice president of Mr Anwar's Party told the BBC there had been fraud.
But he was released in September 2004 after the courts overturned the latter charge on appeal. Tian Chua claimed that in just three years 1,000 voters had vanished from the electoral list while 1,700 names had been added.
Mr Anwar led Malaysia's Reformasi Movement after falling out with former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1998. A government spokesman called his allegations tired and predictable.
Meanwhile Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister called on his opponents to respect the law and democracy complaining they had prevented him from visiting certain areas.