PERMATANG PASIR: It is a straight fight between Barisan Nasional and PAS in the Permatang Pasir state by-election on Aug 25.
Rohaizat Othman, 38, is the Barisan and Mohd Salleh Man Mat Aji, 52, better known as Salleh Man, is the PAS candidate.
A third candidate, motivational expert Kamarul Ramizi Idris, 42, tried to file his papers as an Independent but was too late. He said traffic congestion had slowed him from getting to the nomination centre at Dewan Perdana, National Youth Skills Institute in Jalan Berapit here on time.
Fifteen objections were raised against the two candidates but the objections were rejected and the returning officer Roslan Yahaya announced the candidates after nominations closed at 11am.
Rohaizat is the Permatang Pauh Umno division secretary and is a relative new comer.
The businessman from Mengkuang Titi has a law degree from the International Islamic University and is actively involved in social work in Penanti and Permatang Pauh.
Salleh Man is the Penang PAS commissioner and has represented PAS six times in the general elections since 1986 but lost every time. He is from Kepala Batas.
Meanwhile, Padang Serai MP N. Gobalakrishnan taken away in an ambulance following after he was arrested outside the nomination centre for allegedly causing the scuffle. He sustained injury.
The Permatang Pasir seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent Datuk Mohd Hamdan Abdul Rahman of PAS of heart ailment on July 31.
Mohd Hamdan, who had held the seat for three terms since 1999, garnered 11,004 votes to defeat Ahmad Sahar Shuib of the BN with a 5,433vote majority in the general election last year.
Permatang Pasir has 20,290 registered voters 72.34 percent Malays, 25.86 percent Chinese, 1.64 Indians and 0.16 percent, others.
Meanwhile, below is an account of developments as they happened.
11:30am: EC rejects the 15 objections raised. It is a straight fight between Rohaizat Othman (BN) and Salleh Man (PAS) in by-election on Aug 25.
10:30am: Padang Serai MP N. Gobalakrishnan taken away in an ambulance following a scuffle outside nomination centre. He was also arrested for allegedly causing the scuffle. Sustains injury.
10:10am: It looks set to be a two-cornered fight as motivational expert Kamarul Ramizu Idris, 42, failed to submit papers on time. Kamarul has contested in several by-elections including the Penanti state seat in May. He said he could not make it in time as he was delayed by the traffic congestion along the route to the nomination centre. Deadline for objections is 11am
09:56am: Independent candidate Kamarul Ramizu Idris arrives at nomination centre
09:30am: Both candidates file nomination papers ahead of the 10:00am deadline. PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz arrives
09:05am: Penang CM Lim Guan Eng arrives
09:00am: PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrives
08:40am: Barisan candidate Rohaizat Othman arrives accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Huessein and state Barisan chairman Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and MCA and MIC leaders are already here.
08:20am: Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy and PKR leaders accompany PAS candidate Salleh Man to nomination centre.
08:00am: Crowd begins to gather at nomination centre. Some wearing face mask, including all police personnel, to reduce exposure to influenza A (H1N1). There’s a carnival air.
