Straight Fight between BN and PAS in Bagan Pinang

It is the best chance for BN to end the opposition's winning streak by fielding Mohd Isa Abdul Samad in Bagan Pinang by-election.

Mohd Isa Abdul Samad vs Zulkefly Mohamad Omar

By picking Isa, who is popular with the grassroots, Umno is seen as riding roughshod over public sentiment.

The high level of Malay support and large number of postal votes are the factors that dominate Umno to win the by-election.

The Bagan Pinang state by-election on Oct 11 will see a straight fight between Barisan BN and PAS.

BN is fielding former Menteri Besar Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad while PAS is represented by Zulkefly Mohamad Omar, the party's state commissioner.

Returning Officer Abdul Wahab Shamsuddin announced the contest at 11.25am after the objection period had ended.

Mohd Isa, 59, was the first to arrive at the nomination centre at Port Dickson Municipal Council hall at 9.05am, naming N. Kandiah as the proposer and Kaw Yoh See as the seconder.

About 10 minutes later, Zulkefly filed in his nomination papers, with Baharom Bujang as the proposer and Sarif Kasim as the seconder.

The seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent assemblyman Azman Mohammad Noor of BN on Sept 4. In the 2008 general election, Azman defeated PAS' Ramli Ismail with a majority of 2,333 votes.

There are 13,664 voters in Bagan Pinang, including 4,604 postal voters. The constituency has eight polling districts namely Pekan Siliau, Teluk Kemang, Ladang Atherton, Ladang Bradwall, Kampung Bagan Pinang, Taman Eastern, Sua Betong and Si Rusa.

Isa Samad will win with a big majority

Former vice-president Isa Samad will get a big win in the forthcoming Bagan Pinang by-election in Negeri Sembilan.

Isa Samad

Ironically, the support for BN has increased now compared with the 2008 general election. It shall demonstrates the strong grassroots support for Isa Samad who was Negeri Sembilan MB for more than two decades, and the heavy campaigning to be undertaken by the BN.


Zulkefly

The late Umno's Azman Mohd Noor, 55, defeated PAS’s Ramli Ismail with a 2,333-vote majority in the last general election. There are 13,644 registered voters, including 4,604 postal voters in the constituency.

Isa, 59, former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar has been Teluk Kemang Umno chief since 1982. He began his political career in 1978 when he won the Linggi state seat, which he held till 2004.

He contested and won Jempol parliamentary seat in the 2004 general election and was subsequently made the Federal Territories Minister before stepping down in 2005.

He steadily rose up the ranks culminating in his being appointed Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar following the general election of 1982.

Zulkefly, 45, is a businessman who holds a masters degree in science and has six children.

His claim to fame includes successfully leading the Broga No-Incinerator Committee, which managed to pressure the government to scrap the construction of a 'mega-incinerator'.

He has contested in three elections since 1999 but lost by a 1,285 majority in his 2008 foray in the Lenggeng state seat.

Isa is the right candidate for Bagan Pinang

Umno fields its former vice-president Tan Sri Isa Samad as the candidate in the forthcoming Bagan Pinang by-election in Negeri Sembilan.

BN election director Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin described Isa, who was the Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar for 22 years until 2004, as a grassroots leader who has worked hard for the party.

Muhyiddin said, this by-election is about the people, people first, whoever the people want, we will grant the people their wish,” he added.

Ironically, it is claimed that the former Mentri Besar being able to unite the people in Port Dickson as the constituents, including the non-Malays, accepted him.

It is believed that he will win many more votes than former BN’s Azman Mohammad Noor.

Isa’s selection today is seen to be his second attempt in making a comeback after failing to defend the Umno vice-president post during the party election last April.

Isa, who is the former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar, was suspended from Umno in 2004 for six years after the disciplinary committee found him guilty of money politics during the party polls. However, his suspension was reduced to three years following an appeal.

The Bagan Pinang by-election was made necessary following the death of BN’s Azman Mohammad Noor on Sept 4. In March last year, Azman defeated Ramli Ismail of PAS, by some 2,000 votes.

Does Hasan Mohamed Ali helps Umno stage a Perak-like coup d'état?

Selangor PAS commissioner Datuk Dr Hasan Mohamed Ali has been warned twice by his party for being out of line with the spirit of opposition party as he repeatedly makes comments that undermine opposition party.

Hasan Mohamed Ali

Ironically, he is clearly seen as to help Umno to stage a Perak-like coup d'état".

The latest of Hasan's controversial statements was on the state government's Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat).

The proposal for restrictions on the sale of alcohol in Selangor and the stand over issues concerning the donation of sacrificial cows, purchased by Selangor State Development Corporation companies, to mosques in the Bandar Tun Razak constituency, where Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim is MP had been seen as attempting to undermine the cohesiveness of the Selangor opposition government.

After the opposition won Selangor in the 2008 general election, Hasan had reportedly discussed the possibility of a pact with the BN's Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, the former Selangor Menteri Besar.

The question arises: Has Hasan Ali proved to be a liability not only to PAS but to the Pakatan Rakyat coalition?