Ruling coalition wins majority in parliament

(22 Mar 2004) Kuala Lumpur, 22 March 2004 1. Wide of stage at United Malays National Organisation's (UMNO) headquarters 2. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi walking through crowd 3. Abdullah walking on stage with his wife and deputy prime minister Endon Mahmood 4. Crowd clapping 5. Wide of scene 6. Abdullah on stage 7. Man in crowd on microphone 8. SOUNDBITE: (Malay) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Malaysian Prime Minister: "Honestly this win really seems like the whole population has supported our party and the National Front coalition." 9. Crowd clapping 10. SOUNDBITE: (Malay) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Malaysian Prime Minister: "Secondly, what also reassures me is that so many of the people of Terengganu and Kelantan, also supported the National Front. That is something that makes my friends and I happy and content." 11. Abdullah being lifted up Terengganu, 21 March 2004 12. People coming out of Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) leader Abdul Hadi Awang's house 13. Abdul speaking to reporters 14. SOUNDBITE: (Malay) Abdul Hadi Awang, PAS leader: "We accept the decision of the public, that there needs to be a post mortem (to the elections) because we believe that these elections have been out of the ordinary form the beginning." 15. Media 16. SOUNDBITE: (Malay) Abdul Hadi Awang, PAS leader: "In order to be patient we will continue our fight, and our fight is not over yet. We will continue even if we have nothing. We will start from nothing." 17. People watching 18. Crowds outside PAS house 19. Wide ext. outside house 20. Cars flying UMNO flags driving down road STORYLINE: Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi won a landslide victory on Sunday after Malaysian voters resoundingly rejected the fundamentalist Islamic opposition and handed the secular leader a mandate for cleaner government. The results indicate a huge personal endorsement for Abdullah, who has cultivated an image as a corruption fighter and man-of-the-people in the five months since he took over from leader Mahathir Mohamad, who retired in October after 22 years in power. The victory also sent a strong signal that voters have rejected the hardline policies of the Islamic opposition, amid fears that religious fundamentalism was on the rise in this mostly Muslim country, which has detained scores of suspected terrorists in the past two years, some linked to al-Qaida. Abdullah's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) secured huge swings in two states in the Muslim-dominated northern rural belt, the Islamic party stronghold. Final results from the Election Commission showed UMNO claimed Terengganu state with 28 seats to three for Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) with one being recounted. But official figures showed UMNO and PAS were neck-and-neck in Kelantan - held by the Islamic party since 1990 - with final results not expected until later on Monday. UMNO went from two seats in Kelantan to at least 16, marking striking gains. Either side needs 23 seats to gain a majority in the 45-seat assembly. Nationally, the National Front coalition won at least 167 seats in the 219-member federal Parliament, surpassing the 146 needed for a two-thirds majority needed to change the Constitution at will, Electoral Commission figures showed. Final results were not due until later on Monday. Abdullah declared victory at his party's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, where he joined hands with his wife and deputy prime minister to lead a sing-along of UMNO's theme song before a cheering crowd. Even some UMNO officials were stunned by the breadth of the victory. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...