UPDATE 2
KUALA KRAI, July 6 — The Manek Urai by-election will see voters deciding between two candidates who both claim to be closer to the community than the other.
The July 14 poll will see a straight fight between PAS candidate Mohd Fauzi Abdullah, 50, and Barisan Nasional candidate Tuan Aziz Tuan Mat, 39, after a nomination process that passed without incident.
But Mohd Fauzi, a fishmonger, will surely start with a psychological advantage, given PAS's previous 1,352-vote majority and a huge throng of supporters on nomination today.
Over 10,000 supporters waving PAS flags outnumbered the 2,000 from Umno that marched to Sekolah Menengah Sultan Yahya Petra 1 with Tuan Aziz, a manager at the South Kelantan Development Authority (Kesedar).
Speaking after their candidacies were confirmed, both talked up their relationship with Manek Urai citizens.
"I have been with the community for years as I have worked in Manek Urai itself, so the community leaders know me and I will set a good example during the campaign," Tuan Aziz said.
The rather media-shy Mohd Fauzi, on the other hand, claimed that he "has been working with the grassroots for a long time" before the by-election before being ushered away by PAS leaders.
PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat were also reserved in their comments, preferring to fall back on their "Insya Allah," or God willing, view of the by-election.
It was BN's election chief Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who came out strongly instead, stating that he hoped for a repeat of the surprise win by BN in Pengkalan Pasir in 2005.
"If Umno and component parties show unity, then we can wrest it from PAS," he said.
Parti Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (AKIM) president Hanafi Mamat, who was said to be contesting in the by-election, did not turn up for the nomination process.
Returning Officer Adnan Hussin announced at 11.10am that both nomination papers were proper, kicking off the official campaign period.
The by-election is being held following the death of incumbent assemblyman Ismail Yaacob of PAS on May 22 of a heart attack.
PAS had lost here in 2004 when the much-liked Ismail did not defend his seat but reclaimed it in 2008 by a huge majority when he beat BN's Mohamed Zulkifli Omar in the 12,000-voter constituency.
This is the first by-election in Kelantan and the sixth in the country since the 12th general election in March last year.
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