Malaysia kicked start another by-election campaign on Saturday, with the opposition coalition aiming to maintain its winning streak after successfully contesting in two previous by-elections.

The seventh by-election in Malaysia since the national polls last year will see a fight over the state-assembly seat in central Negeri Sembilan state's Rantau, Malaysia's Election Commission said following the nomination on Saturday.

Four candidates have filed their nominations including two independents, and polling day is on April 13, after a 14-day campaign period.

The main contest is expected to be between the ruling coalition Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate S Streram and the former ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Mohamad Hasan.

Mohamad Hasan is the acting president of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the main BN component which has governed the country for six decades until the general election last year. He is the former chief minister of the state and has held the seat since 2004.

Streram was the People's Justice Party (PKR) candidate, a PH component, for the general elections in May last year but was prevented from contesting after being prevented from filing his nomination papers, with Mohamad Hasan winning uncontested.

The Election Court declared the win void in November last year and the Federal Court upheld the decision in February, paving the way for the by-election.