KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIANS will be denied a fair vote in general elections this weekend, Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday, accusing the government of muzzling the opposition and manipulating the electoral process.

'Once again, elections in Malaysia are grossly unfair to the opposition,' the global rights monitor's deputy Asia director Elaine Pearson said in a statement ahead of Saturday's ballot.

'Voters in Malaysia deserve a chance for every vote to count and count equally,' she added. 'Given the vast array of anomalies in the electoral rolls, this looks increasingly unlikely.'

The New York-based HRW said the Barisan Nasional coalition that has ruled for half a century was intent on retaining its two-thirds parliamentary majority and unwilling to allow reforms being demanded by activists.

It said that already tight control on the media had become even more glaring during the campaign, with state-run and government-linked outlets observing a virtual blackout on the opposition.

While the government held rallies with tens of thousands of people, dissenting voices were refused permission to hold public meetings, and peaceful protests were dispersed with the use of tear gas and water cannons.

HRW said that in the face of major irregularities in the election process, there were concerns the government will manipulate the voting in closely fought districts.

It cited research by electoral reform campaigners who said that almost 9,000 voters born more than 100 years ago - including two reported to be 128 years old - were enrolled to vote, raising suspicions about phantom voting. -- AFP

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