2008 Penang state election

The 12th Penang election was held on 8 March 2008. Polling took place in 40 constituencies throughout the State of Penang, with each electing a State Assemblyman to the Penang State Legislative Assembly. The election was conducted by the Malaysian Election Commission.

2008 Penang state election
8 March 2008
40 seats to the Penang State Legislative Assembly
21 seats needed for a majority
Registered709,323
Turnout542,856
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Lim Guan Eng Koh Tsu Koon
Party DAP GERAKAN
Alliance PR BN
Leader since 20 February 2008 (2008-02-20) 21 October 1990 (1990-10-21)
Leader's seat Air Putih Tanjong Bunga
Last election 2 seats, 5.00% 38 seats, 95.00%
Seats won 29 11
Seat change 27 27
Popular vote 319,757 222,339
Percentage 58.90% 40.96%
Pakatan Rakyat seats:
  DAP
  PKR
  PAS

Opposition seats:

  UMNO
Chief Minister before election

Koh Tsu Koon
Barisan Nasional (Gerakan)

 Elected Chief Minister

Lim Guan Eng
Pakatan Rakyat (DAP)

The legislative body had been dissolved on 13 February by the Governor of Penang, Abdul Rahman Abbas, on the advice of the incumbent Chief Minister, Koh Tsu Koon, who also led the state's ruling coalition at the time, Barisan Nasional (BN). Opposing the BN was the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance, which consisted of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), the People's Justice Party (PKR) and the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). Electoral candidates were nominated on 24 February.

The election proved to be a watershed in Penang's history, as the BN was handed an unprecedented and shocking defeat by the PR, making the election the second time Penang's ruling party was voted out of power; the first was in 1969. The PR won 29 out of the 40 seats, gaining more than a two-thirds majority in the Penang State Legislative Assembly. The leader of the PR in Penang, Lim Guan Eng, was subsequently sworn into power as Penang's fourth Chief Minister on 11 March.

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