Malaysian polls open in pivotal election

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian polling centres opened on Sunday for the country's first election in history with a change of government at stake, as a decades-old regime battles to hold off a reform-minded opposition.

Polling centres opened at 8:00 am (0000 GMT) after a bitter campaign marked by numerous opposition accusations of electoral cheating and irregularities by the ruling coalition -- which it denies -- aimed at stealing the election.

Polling stations close at 5:00 pm with results expected to begin rolling out within hours. (AFP)