EARLY results showed a slender lead for Malaysia’s ruling coalition in today’s general election with Prime Minister Najib Razak expected to remain in power with a reduced majority.

He faced a strong challenge by former authoritarian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad who led the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan, allied with Anwar Ibrahim who was sentenced to prison for sodomy in 2014.

Human rights groups condemned the jailing of Mr Ibrahim as politically motivated, with the opposition politician advocating a change to Malaysia’s “archaic” laws which criminalise homosexual activity.