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KUALA TERENGGANU, July 8 (Bernama) -- Besut Umno Youth has pledged to give their full support to whoever fielded by Barisan Nasional (BN) as its candidate for the Kuala Besut state by-election scheduled for July 24.

Its chief, Mohd Mahdi Musa, said whoever named as BN's candidate by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin tomorrow, must be the best candidate to have been entrusted to ensure victory for the coalition in the by-election.

The Umno election to be held at the end of the year will adopt the 'electoral college' system which merges the election systems from the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK).

Umno Election Committee chairman Tan Sri Tajol Rosli Ghazali said the system was perceived to be suitable for implementation in the election of the top leadership of the party which would involve 146,000 members at the grassroots level.

"Our election method is slightly different from the past. We will merge the American system with that used in the United Kingdom.

Two Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidates Wednesday filed last minute election petitions seeking to declare the 13th General Election results for the Pasir Gudang and Tebrau parliamentary seats as null and void.

Dr Ahmad Faidhi Saidi and Choong Shiau Yoon filed their petition about 9.30 am at the High Court here.

Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates Normala Abdul Samad and Khoo Soo Seang won the Pasir Gudang and Tebrau seats respectively.

In IPOH, PKR's K.Vasantha Kumar, 40, filed a petition against the Tapah parliamentary seat result at the High Court.

The Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s (PSM) application to join the opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, should be considered favourably, said DAP chairman Karpal Singh. 

He said as far as possible there should be a two-party system in the country and that could be achieved by PSM joining the Pakatan Rakyat.

“For Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar to contest under the PKR ticket (in the recent general election) really showed that PSM regards PKR as its ally,” he told a press conference here today. 

Election petitions by candidates in the 13th general election must be disposed within six months of filing.

Chief Justice of Malaysia Tun Ariffin Zakaria said this would ensure the petitioners received a fair hearing of their case.

"I hope the judges concerned would hear the cases with an open mind and not bow to pressure from any quarters," he said while opening the 47th Judges' Conference here Saturday.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin described the new cabinet announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Wednesday as solid and dynamic.

Muhyiddin who thanked the Prime Minister for retaining him as his deputy said the new cabinet, comprising new and experienced leaders, had the ability to carry out the transformation agenda that can improve the economy of the country.

He said the cabinet line up comprised experienced leaders from 'outside' the government, business entity, technocrats and representatives from Sabah and Sarawak.

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim pledged Tuesday to mount a "fierce movement" to challenge what he called fraudulent election results that kept the country's long-ruling coalition in power, although with a diminished majority.

The opposition's refusal to accept the outcome could complicate efforts to restore political certainty to a country where millions of voters pushed for an end to the National Front coalition's nearly 56-year rule because of accusations of government graft and racial insensitivity.

Malaysia's ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition has won the country's 13th general election amid allegations by the Opposition of widespread fraud.

The ruling coalition faced an unprecedented challenge from the opposition Pakatan Rakyat alliance in Sunday's election, but ceded just two seats to finish with 133, a firm majority in the 222-member parliament.

The win extends BN's 56-year reign of power, making it one of the world's longest-serving governments.

Malaysia's ruling coalition has won a simple majority in the country's election, extending its 56-year rule.

The Election Commission said Prime Minister Najib Razak's Barisan Nasional (BN; National Front) coalition won 133 of the 222 in parliamentary seats - its worst-ever election performance.

The opposition won 89 seats, up from 82, in Sunday's election.

Defeated opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim accused the ruling coalition of widespread fraud.