Residents like 50- year old Fawziah Abdul in a slum in Borneo Malaysia's Sabah state have been central in helping the country's ruling party

She became a Malaysian citizen 10 years ago after illegally slipping into the country from the Philippines in search of a better life.

She was given a Malaysian ID card and hopes that if she votes for the ruling party again, they will give ID cards to her three children, also.

(SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Malaysia) FORMER FILIPINO, FAWZIAH ABDUL SAYING:

"All thanks to the government. If not were the government we wouldn't have a document."

There have been long running suspicions in Malaysian politics of a government backed program that naturalizes immigrants in exchange for votes.

Indeed, the population of Sabah's population has increased five fold since the 1970's... but the growing presence of Muslim immigrants has fueled complaints of discrimination from Christians who've also been a bedrock of ruling coalition support.

Opposition party members say a government investigation into the allegations of voter fraud are nothing more than a political stunt.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER RULING COALITION NATIONAL FRONT MEMBER, WILFRED BUMBURING SAYING:

"The RCI (Royal Commission of Inquiry) actually is a toothless tiger, don't have any authority to suggest to the government what action to be done because in the process of investigation they will uncover wrong doings, uncover the culprit."

The election, which could be called anytime in the next seven months, is expected to be the closest in history.