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Malaysia's predominant political party, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), has held power in coalition with other parties since Malaya's independence in 1957. In 1973, an alliance of communally based parties was replaced with a broader coalition--the Barisan Nasional--composed of 14 parties. In September 1998, then-Prime Minister Mahathir dismissed Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and accused Anwar of immoral and corrupt conduct. Although Anwar was convicted on both charges in 1999 and 2000, the trials were viewed as seriously flawed (Malaysiaís Federal Court eventually freed Anwar after overturning his immoral conduct conviction in September 2004). Mahathir replaced Anwar in 1999 with Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
On October 31, 2003, Prime Minister Mahathir stepped down voluntarily after 22 years in power, and his successor, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, was sworn into office. Abdullah won an overwhelming victory in March 21, 2004 general elections, with Barisan Nasional winning 199 of 219 seats in the lower house of parliament. UMNO itself won 110 seats. PAS was reduced to six seats in parliament and lost control of the state of Terengganu. The socialist Democratic Action Party (DAP), with predominately urban ethnic Chinese support, won 12 seats in parliament, and party chairman Lim Kit Siang became Leader of the Opposition in parliament.
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