A prominent Malaysian opposition politician resigned today after photographs of her sleeping naked were circulated to the public by mobile phone, an embarrassing disclosure that she condemned as a plot to discredit her party.

Malaysia’s ruling coalition suffered its biggest yet electoral upset, losing control of four state governments and failing to win a two-thirds majority in parliament, in a protest vote against racial discrimination, crime and corruption.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s ruling coalition suffered its biggest upset in nearly four decades in general elections today, reflecting widespread unhappiness at his failure to curb racial tensions, corruption and inflation.