Malaysia election 2022: countdown begins as crowded field of candidates put names forward for parliamentary seats
- Crowds of supporters in party colours turned out in their droves for nomination day on Saturday to support their chosen leaders
- In a historic first, every single parliamentary seat will be contested by multiple candidates. But polls suggest no single coalition will win
This election is likely to be the most hotly contested that the country has seen so far, with the Umno-led Barisan Nasional jockeying for position against two other coalitions: the Malay nationalist Perikatan Nasional and the multiracial Pakatan Harapan.
Only nine, or just 4 per cent, of the total seats up for grabs will see a straight fight, according to data from the Election Commission, all of which will be in mostly hard-to-reach rural constituencies in the states of Sarawak and Sabah on Malaysian Borneo.
On the flip side, the Klang Valley – where the nation’s wealth is concentrated and includes the capital city Kuala Lumpur – will host the most crowded contests.
A total of 10 candidates will vie for the urban seat of Batu, followed by nine contesting nearby Ampang. Three semiurban seats in the valley will see eight-way contests – Bangi, Kota Raja and Sepang.
