KUALA LUMPUR — The fight in the Sungai Besar by-election on Saturday is expected to be close, and victory could be decided by fewer than several hundred votes, predicted the opposition Democratic ­Action Party’s (DAP) Lim Kit Siang.

Speaking during a campaign event on Thursday night, the DAP parliamentary leader said the race was close enough that even the 820 Indian voters, who made up less than 2 per cent of the electorate, could become “kingmakers” in the contest.

Mr Lim also challenged voters of all communities to surpass the 88 per cent turnout registered in election 2013, saying that sending the opposition Amanah candidate to Parliament would convey their rejection of harmful communal politics in the country.

The election commission expects a 75 per cent voter turnout in both constituencies.

“Malaysia will be destroyed if we allow the politics of race and religion to create distrust and hatred among the different races and religions, which is why it is important that we educate every Malaysian to respect the diverse races, religions, languages and cultures in Malaysia,” said Mr Lim.

Twin by-elections are being held in Sungai Besar in Selangor and Kuala Kangsar in Perak, with voters going to the polls on Saturday from 8am onwards, following the death of the incumbents in a helicopter crash last month.

In Sungai Besar, opposition Parti Islam Se-Malaysia’s (PAS) Dr ­Abdul Rani Osman will be facing ruling ­Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition candidate Budiman Mohd Zohdi and opposition Amanah’s Azhar Abdul Shukur. It is a four-cornered contest in Kuala Kangsar, where BN’s Mastura Mohd Yazid will be defending her late husband’s seat against PAS’ Dr Najihatussalehah Ahmad, Amanah’s Ahmad Termizi Ramli and independent candidate Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary.

The hustings in Sungai Besar have been marred by racially provocative billboards. Posters were erected with the Malay words “Panggil Cina Babi tidak salah” (Not wrong to call Chinese pigs) that were allegedly said by Sungai Besar United Malays National Organisation (Umno) chief Jamal ­Yunos. Mr Jamal has denied making the racist statement.

A separate poster said: “BN PAS sehati sejiwa, rasis rasuah sama sekali” (BN and PAS are of one soul, ­together in racism and corruption), an apparent reference to the emerging alliance between BN and opposition Islamist party PAS, which is at odds with other opposition parties over the implementation of the Islamic ­penal code, or hudud, in Kelantan.

The posters were taken down by the election commission. DAP has admitted it put up posters bearing the logo of Amanah — a splinter group from PAS. DAP insists that it is merely highlighting what Mr Jamal has said. About 3,000 policemen will be deployed to ensure security on polling day.

Both Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar are Malay-Muslim majority seats that are seen as crucial to ruling party Umno. Prime Minister Najib Razak — who has been under intense pressure over the controversy surrounding state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad — is keen to secure a convincing victory to prove that he and Umno remain popular among the core support group for the party.

Mr Najib said on Friday that the people of Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar have an important role to play in moulding the future of their ­respective areas through the process of democracy. “To all the voters in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar, I urge you not to be deceived by the lies and wicked political games of the opposition, and give a chance to Budiman Zohdi and Datin Mastura Mohd Yazid to continue the splendid service of Barisan Nasional in your area,” he said on his Facebook.

Dr Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, told TODAY that the real contest in Sungai Besar is between BN and Amanah, with very scant campaigning by PAS. Observers have speculated that PAS may not try its best to defeat Umno amid warming ties between the two sides, a saying PAS leaders have dismissed. “I still think it is an Umno win (in Sungai ­Besar) and Amanah may do quite well as compared to PAS,” said Dr Oh, who was in Sungai Besar last week.

According to Malaysian media ­reports, BN appears to have the upper hand in Kuala Kangsar. AGENCIES WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY ALBERT WAI