Political parties in Malaysia are preparing for general elections later this month.

Slightly more than four million people, or about 30 per cent of the country's multi-racial population, are eligible to vote on August 24 for a new Parliament and Prime Minister.

At stake in the elections, Malaysia's fourth since independence in 1957, are 154 parliamentary seats and 359 State Assembly seats.

Political observers say Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak's National Front coaliection government seems certain of winning a majority for another five-year term in office. The coalition had a stranglehold on the last parliament, holding 119 seats.

The two main opposition parties - the Democratic Action Party (D.A.P.) and the Social Justice Party (Pekemas) - have failed to agree on a united stand for the elections.

The DAP, which held nine seats in the last House, is expected to contest 50 parliamentary seats and the Pekemas 49.

Tun Razak's decision to call an early election, almost 18 months ahead of schedule, is seen as reflecting his desire to capitalise on his government's present popularity, boosted by its recent ties with The People's Republic of China and Malaysia's growing role in Islamic affairs.

Racial riots, which marred the last elections in 1969, are unlikely to occur again because the government has made it an offence under the Sedition Act for any one to challenge the privileges of Malays or to publish or say anything likely to cause confrontation between ethnic groups.