The ethnically and religiously diverse constitutional monarchy of Malaysia has been ruled by the United Malays National Organization since independence in 1957, but dissatisfaction with pro-Malay affirmative-action programs and corruption generated important opposition gains in the March 2008 elections. The trend continued with the 2013 elections, in which the UMNO-led coalition retained power but failed for the first time to win more than 50 percent of the popular vote. Despite significant steps toward liberalizing the economy, the government maintains investments in such key sectors as banking, media, automobiles, and airlines. Malaysia is a leading exporter of electronics and information technology products; other industries include agricultural products and automobiles.