Malaysian voters on 9 May morning went to the polls for the country's general election, which is said to be difficult to forecast the result.

Voters in Pekan, Pahang state of Malaysia (Photo: VNA)

The ruling Barisan National (BN) coalition, the opposition alliance Pakatan Harapan (PH) and the Malaysian Islamic Party are vying for seats in the 222-member House of Representatives, the lower house of the parliament.

After Malaysia gained independence in 1957, the BN coalition with the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) at its core, has won every election, because it has been the only choice for native Malaysians, particularly those in rural areas. The UMNO is now led by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

However, voters now have another choice with the appearance of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) led by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, 92, who quit UMNO in 2016. The PPBM is part of the PH opposition alliance.

Surveys before the election day showed that a number of Malaysian voters have yet to make up their mind.

On 6 April, PM Najib declared the dissolution of the parliament to pave the way for the general election.

More than 64,000 policemen will be deployed nationwide to ensure security during the election. Along with personnel mobilisation, the police also held training courses prior to the election.

(Source: VNA)