Malaysia's polls close amid fraud claims
Updated 5 May 2013, 19:24 AEST
Polls have closed in Malaysia amid concerns that electoral fraud could influence the outcome of today's election.
The opposition coalition, led by Anwar Ibrahim, is attempting to unseat the Barisan National (BN), which has held government for more than 50 years.
Lines of up to one kilometre long have been reported as voting got underway on Sunday at more than 8,000 polling sites across the country.
But many voters have accused prime minister Najib Razak's government of trying to steal the election, as indelible ink that he touted as a guarantee against voter fraud was found to easily wash off.
"I wash it with Dettol and the ink all came off, it should not come off according to the authority," one voter said.
"It's not a problem for me, but what I think, there will be a lot of fraud as a result of this removal of the ink."
They allege the voters are foreign migrant workers who have been issued with Malaysian ID cards - a claim that BN has strongly denied.
One man of Filipino descent, with the Sulu surname Kiram, carried an ID card with the number 49 on it, which apparently indicates foreign status.
He told opposition representatives that he was issued with the card at the administrative capital Putrajaya.
His finger was marked with indelible ink to show that he had in fact voted.
Self-appointed election monitors Anything But UMNO have also posted pictures of what they say are foreign voters on their Facebook page.
The ruling party has repeatedly denied allegations it has issued ID cards to foreign workers to shore up support.
The latest polling puts the opposition in front by between one and four per cent.
Winning the overall popular vote does not guarantee victory.
Electoral gerrymanders mean rural seats where there are less people can be won with far fewer votes than those in the urban centres which are pro-opposition.
A result is expected to be known later tonight.
The opposition coalition, led by Anwar Ibrahim, is attempting to unseat the Barisan National (BN), which has held government for more than 50 years.
Lines of up to one kilometre long have been reported as voting got underway on Sunday at more than 8,000 polling sites across the country.
But many voters have accused prime minister Najib Razak's government of trying to steal the election, as indelible ink that he touted as a guarantee against voter fraud was found to easily wash off.
"I wash it with Dettol and the ink all came off, it should not come off according to the authority," one voter said.
"It's not a problem for me, but what I think, there will be a lot of fraud as a result of this removal of the ink."
Read more on the Malaysian election.Meanwhile, the opposition and democracy activists are claiming they have caught foreigners voting in the election.
They allege the voters are foreign migrant workers who have been issued with Malaysian ID cards - a claim that BN has strongly denied.
One man of Filipino descent, with the Sulu surname Kiram, carried an ID card with the number 49 on it, which apparently indicates foreign status.
He told opposition representatives that he was issued with the card at the administrative capital Putrajaya.
His finger was marked with indelible ink to show that he had in fact voted.
Self-appointed election monitors Anything But UMNO have also posted pictures of what they say are foreign voters on their Facebook page.
The ruling party has repeatedly denied allegations it has issued ID cards to foreign workers to shore up support.
The latest polling puts the opposition in front by between one and four per cent.
Winning the overall popular vote does not guarantee victory.
Electoral gerrymanders mean rural seats where there are less people can be won with far fewer votes than those in the urban centres which are pro-opposition.
A result is expected to be known later tonight.
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