Bangkok: East Timor's two major parties are leading early vote counting in the tiny nation's fourth parliamentary elections on Saturday, pointing to another five years in power for the country's ruling coalition.

Unofficial results showed that with about 63 per cent of the votes counted Fretilin, which used social media to push its slogan "Vote for Our Future",  was leading with 31 per cent of the vote, followed by the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT) with 28 per cent.

Since 2015 the two parties have ruled East Timor through a power-sharing executive set up by independence hero and former prime minister and president Xanana Gusmao.

The Partido Democratico, or PD, and the People's Liberation Party (PLP) had each gathered just under 10 per cent of the vote.

The PD party ended a formal alliance with the CNRT in 2015 but kept control of several ministries.

The independent Dili-based NGO La'o Hamutuk estimated that based on early counting Fretilin would win 25 seats, the CNRT 21 seats and the PLP and PD seven seats each. 

PLP leader Taur Matan Ruak, a former revolutionary commander and president, campaigned for increased spending on health and education, rather than the multimillion-dollar infrastructure projects that have been financed by the outgoing government.

His party has wide support among young university-educated Timorese. 

Fretilin and CNRT leaders have indicated they will remain committed to working with each after the vote in the interests of national unity.

But a formal power-sharing arrangement would still have to be negotiated after the official vote count is released on August 6 if the two parties maintain their strong lead.

Voters turned out en masse for the country's fourth parliamentary elections since independence to elect 65 MPs, amid growing concern at the former government's failure to use wealth generated by oil and gas to reduce poverty, improve education and create jobs.

Revenues from existing oil and gas fields are set to dry up in a few years.

The Greater Sunrise gas field in the Timor Sea remains undeveloped as East Timor and Australia continue negotiations under international conciliation.

In March, voters elected Fretlin's Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres - also a former revolutionary commander - as president.