Twin by-elections: BN scores bigger victories
(Free Malaysia Today) – Barisan Nasional has won the Kerdau and Merlimau state assembly seats in Pahang and Malacca respectively with bigger majorities compared to the 2008 general election.
BN’s candidate in Kerdau, Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad, who is also the Kuala Krau Umno division vice-chief, trounced PAS’ Hassanuddin Salim, who is also Pahang PAS information chief while in Merlimau, BN man Roslan Ahmad beat PAS’ Yuhaizat Abdullah.
Syed Ibrahim polled 5,060 votes while Hassanuddin managed to garner 2,336 votes. BN secured the seat with a 2,724-vote majority.
In the 2008 general election, former elected state representative Zaharuddin Abu Kassin polled 4,135 votes to beat PAS’ Hassanuddin Salim who obtained 2,520 votes.
The majority in 2008 was 1,615 votes. The seat has 8,999 registered voters with 15 postal voters. A total 89% are Malays, 5% Chinese, 3.3% Indians and 2.8% others.
The Kerdau seat fell vacant following the death of the assemblyman, Zaharuddin Abu Kassim of BN on Feb 12.
The by-election also saw a higher voter turnout compared to 2008. At the general election the seat saw a turnout of 80.3% compared to this time around which saw a 83 percent turnout.
