1986 Malaysian General Election

2–3 August 1986 · The Barisan Nasional decades · 177 seats, 89 for a majority

General elections were held in Malaysia on 2 and 3 August 1986. Voting took place in all 177 parliamentary constituencies of Malaysia, each electing one Member of Parliament to the Dewan Rakyat, the dominant house of Parliament.

Cleanly counted but heavily tilted: severe malapportionment, government-controlled media and the Internal Security Act framed every contest of the Barisan Nasional decades.

Prime Minister before

Mahathir Mohamad

Prime Minister (continued)

Mahathir Mohamad

Largest force

148 of 177 seats

Turnout

70.0%

The result

Sort by

Mahathir Mohamad · 57.3% of votes · +16 seats

148

seats

DAP

Lim Kit Siang · 21.1% of votes · +15 seats

seats

PAS

Yusof Rawa · 15.5% of votes · -4 seats

seats


BN	Mahathir Mohamad	148	+16	2,649,238	57.3%	-3.3
DAP	Lim Kit Siang	24	+15	975,544	21.1%	+1.5
PAS	Yusof Rawa	1	-4	716,952	15.5%	+1.0

4 further seats went to parties and independents outside the main contenders listed above.