Shock election defeats for ruling party in Malaysia

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.

Mr Abdullah’s National Front lost control of the Penang and Kedah state legislatures, and also failed to wrest control of Kelantan, which until now was the only state under opposition rule. The Front was also set to lose Selangor state to the opposition.