By Jonathan Kent BBC News, Kuala Lumpur

Around 10,000 voters in the electorate cast ballots

The National Front coalition increased its majority in a contest thought to be the final test of public opinion before a general election.

The opposition People's Justice Party of the former deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, has alleged that the poll was marred by irregularities

But the government has denied charges of fraud, saying the allegations were "tired and predictable".

This campaign marked Anwar Ibrahim's return to frontline politics.

Tense atmosphere

The People's Justice Party, led by his wife, had fielded a strong candidate. Mr Anwar had spent several days wooing the 12,000 voters of the little district of Ijok outside the capital.

Mr Anwar's Party claimed there had been fraud

The opposition hoped to deliver a blow that would shake the government's confidence ahead of a possible general election late this year. But it did not happen.

Amid a tense atmosphere and with riot police separating rival supporters, Ijok recorded its highest ever turnout.

Both sides increased their tally but the government's majority rose slightly to 1,850 out of 10,000 votes cast.

A vice president of Mr Anwar's Party told the BBC there had been fraud.

Tian Chua claimed that in just three years 1,000 voters had vanished from the electoral list while 1,700 names had been added.

A government spokesman called his allegations tired and predictable.