Voters have braved long lines in Malaysia to take part in a historic general election that is widely expected to go down to the wire.

Voting began at 8am local time [0000 GMT] at more than 8,200 polling centers across the country after a last-ditch campaign frenzy that went until the stroke of midnight. Polling stations close at 5pm [0900 GMT] on Sunday, with results expected to emerge within hours.

The run-up to the election has polarized the nation of 28m people, with a powerful ruling coalition facing off against a revitalized opposition looking to unseat its rival for the first time since independence from Britain in 1957.

A massive front-page headline on The Star newspaper proclaimed a “Day of Reckoning”. The newspaper reported that bus and train terminals were swamped with voters traveling to their home districts to cast ballots.

“This election is crucial for the country. This is the first time there has been such a narrow margin. It’s the first time that citizens are being heard by both sides. We are moving towards democracy,” Shanaz Zain, 35, told Al Jazeera after casting his vote.

'We will be vigilant'

Both sides have expressed confidence in the outcome, but unofficial opinion polls have put the overall results as too close to call.

“It’s fifty-fifty right now, nobody knows what will happen,” said Frankie Gan Joon Zin, a candidate for the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition in Kuala Lumpur’s tourist and nightlife district of Bukit Bintang.

The streets of the capital, even in Gan’s usually bustling area, were quiet and security presence was light despite the bitter campaign marked by allegations of election fraud and hundreds of reports of violence by rights groups.

Police have banned all victory parades and street demonstrations after the results are announced. “We are on full alert to prevent any disturbances from happening, and all policemen have been ordered to maintain law and order at polling stations,” Khalid Abu Baker, deputy inspector general of police, told The Star newspaper.

The opposition, led by Anwar Ibrahim, has already warned of a disputed result and has accused the ruling coalition of flying in tens of thousands of foreigners from South Asia to tip the balance in hard-fought constituencies.

The government admitted to arranging some incoming flights, but said they were part of a voter-turnout drive.

Meanwhile, some voters have complained of fading indelible ink. The non-removable ink is being used for the time, but many have said using detergent or bleach can remove marks on fingertips, meaning voters could cast ballots more than once.

"I wash it with Dettol and the ink all came off, it should not come off according to the authority," said Tan, a voter. "It's not a problem for me, but what I think, there will be a lot of fraud will be perpetrated as a result of this removal of the ink."

However, Ahmed Omar, deputy chairman of the election commission, said that "no fraud is possible" because "names only register once."

Night rally

At a rally last night, Anwar told supporters: “I warn the Election Commission and the government again that the people will not tolerate any electoral fraud. We will be vigilant of all suspicious activities."

The 13-party ruling coalition, led by Prime Minister Najib Razak, is banking on robust economic growth, averaging around 5 percent annually, and fears of instability brought on by a possible transfer of power. It has painted the opposition as fractious and pro-Islamic.

The three-party opposition, known as Pakatan Rakyat, has campaigned against corruption and vowed to roll-back a decades old quota system that favors ethnic Malays in schools, business contracts and civil service jobs.

“We’ve waited five years for this moment. I don’t mind waiting a little longer,” a voter who identified himself as Gary R, told Al Jazeera.

“The old world has to give way to the new.”

On Sunday, opposition leader Najib voted in his hometown Pekan, Pahang state, 240km east of the capital Kuala Lumpur, and Prime Minister Anwar in his hometown Permatang Pauh, Penang state, northern Malaysia.

PHOTO CAPTION

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim (L) talks to journalists after casting his vote in Kubang Semang, Penang, (350 km outside Kuala Lumpur) Malaysia, 05 May 2013.

Aljazeera