Chempaka State Seat: The Five-Way Battle Of 2015's First By-Election
Nik Aziz Nik Mat succumbed to prostate cancer on 12 February 2015, leaving a void to fill in Chempaka, Kelantan.
By Mei Mei Chu — 23 Mar 2015, 02:51 PM
PAS Retains Chempaka Seat With Overwhelming Landslide Victory
Ahmad Fathan received an overwhelming 10,092 votes, or 86.2% of total votes cast. Independent candidates Sharif Mahmood had 807 votes, Fadhillah Hussin with 89 votes, Aslah Mamat with 27 votes, and Izat Bukhari with 51 votes.
themalaysianinsider.com
There are 21,890 registered voters in the Chempaka constituency. Voter turnout for the Chempaka state seat by-election is approximately 55%, with 11,971 votes cast according to the Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof.
thestar.com.my
Election Comission chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof (standing, far left) speaking to workers at Sekolah Menengah Pengkalan Chepa 1.
Image via The StarThe EC chairman states that the by-election was one of the most uneventful ones. "It is not unusual for voter turnout to be low in places where Barisan Nasional does not contest," he said. "There was no fighting or people obstructing entrances to polling centres," he said.
thestar.com.my[PHOTOS] Events Leading Up To The Chempaka By-Election
The PAS Chempaka by-election candidate's slogan 'Meneruskan Kepimpinan Ulama' (Continuing the ulama leadership).
Image via The Rakyat Post
Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah (right), the Election Comission deputy Chairman inspecting voting equipments at Dewan Bitara Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) Pengkalan Chepa.
Image via New Straits Times
Ahmad Fathan Mahmood@Mahamad, PAS Chempaka state seat candidate celebrates with his supporters after winning the by election, at Dewan Bitara Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM), Pengkalan Chepa.
Image via The Malaysian InsiderKelantan Declares Public Holiday On Chempaka By-Election Polling Day
Early voters for the Chempaka by-election include a total of 1, 497 militarys with their spouses at the Dewan Tan Sri Hamid Bidin, Kota Bahru.
Image via The Rakyat PostThe Kelantan government has declared March 22, the polling day for the Chempaka by-election, as a public holiday.
thestar.com.myMenteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob said the move will enable voters to come out in full force as polling day had been set on Sunday, which is a working day in Kelantan. "With the announcement, I hope voters will come out to fulfill their responsibility as a citizen," he said in a statement issued today.
Umno Fires Two Members For Contesting In Chempaka As Independent Candidates
UMNO has terminated the membership of Sharif Mahmood and Fadzillah Hussin who are standing as independent candidates in the Chempaka by-election in Kelantan.
According to Media UMNO, the sacking was due to their contesting as Independent candidates in an election, which is against the party’s rules. Their sacking will take place with immediate effect.
"Umno has terminated the memberships of Sharif Mahmood and Fadzillah Hussin effective immediately for contesting as independent candidates in the Chempaka by-election, which contradicts the party stand," it said in a statement Wednesday.
The letters were issued from Umno headquarters, signed by secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.
It said that Sharif was registered as member from the RKT Kesedar Jeram Tekoh, Gua Musang division, while Fadzillah was from the Kepala Batas, Tumpat division.
thestar.com.myChempaka By-Election Nomination Day: It's A Five-Cornered Fight Without BN
The Chempaka by-election in Kelantan will see a five-cornered fight, with four independents entering the fray to challenge PAS in its stronghold.
malaysiakini.comPAS is fielding the imam of the Baung mosque, Ahmad Fathan Muhammad @ Mahmood, in the seat that fell vacant with the death of PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat on Feb 12.
Fathan’s challengers include Kelantan Perkasa vice-chairperson Sharif Mahmood, 59, Umno member Fadzillah Hussin, 55, and businessperson Aslah Mamat, 64.
Also in the mix is Izat Bukhari Ismail Bukhary, 48, who contested as an independent for the Pengkalan Kubor state seat in the 13th general election, and in the subsequent by-election.
BN is sitting this by-election out, to focus on flood recovery efforts in Kelantan. The presence of Umno and Perkasa candidates however could translate into a BN friendly candidate in the state assembly
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PAS Picks Ahmad Fathan For Chempaka By-Election
PAS has picked an imam, Ahmad Fathan Mahmud, to contest the Chempaka state seat on March 25. PAS vice-president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Mat made the announcement at the PAS Islamic Education Centre (Putik) in Pengkalan Chepa on Sunday night.
thestar.com.myAhmad Fathan, 43, is the imam of Masjid Baung here and Pengkalan Chepa PAS treasurer. He was among three people, including Syariah lawyer Nik Baharom Nik Abdullah, also the state Hudud Techical committee member, who were shortlisted to contest the seat.
thestar.com.myFathan, who has a master’s degree in Syariah from Universiti Malaya, is the PAS Pengkalan Chepa Ulama Affairs Management secretary, and also the deputy head and lecturer at the Muslim Welfare Organisation of Malaysia’s (Perkim) Institut Dakwah Islamiah, here.
Fathan who was born in Kampung Baung, Pengkalan Chepa, studied in Damascus, Syria from 1997 to 1999, and at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt from 1993 to 1997.
Najib Has Decided That Barisan Nasional Will Stay Out Of Chempaka Polls
Ruling coalition Barisan Nasional will not contest the Chempaka by-election, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today at the Umno supreme council meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
themalaysianinsider.com
Najib said the decision was also made so the federal government can focus on its flood relief efforts in the east coast state as there are still victims who need help.
“We will stay out of the by-election... because we want to focus on the rehabilitation and reparation works as the efforts are still in process. There are also those who have yet to receive aide so this is a priority.
“Secondly, we also consider that we look into efforts to unite the ummah (Muslim community) as even if we differ politically unity is important,” Najib told reporters after chairing Umno’s supreme council meeting here.
themalaymailonline.com
Najib said Umno had a precedent of not contesting a by-election, as in the case of the Bukit Gelugor polls in Penang last year that was called following the death of the seat’s Member of Parliament Karpal Singh.
thestar.com.myPAS Gets Ready To Release Names Of Candidates While BN Waits For Najib To Decide
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will decide whether the Barisan Nasional (BN) will field a candidate or otherwise in the by-election for the Chempaka state seat on March 22.
themalaysianinsider.com
Kelantan BN chairman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said Najib as the national BN chairman would make the decision after the Umno supreme council meets and before the nomination day for the constituency on March 10.
"I have yet to discuss with the Pengkalan Chepa Umno division and the Kelantan Umno Liaison Body... the council has to discuss and eventually the BN chairman (Najib) will make the decision," he told reporters in Kota Baru today.
themalaysianinsider.com
Kelantan PAS is expected to release the names of its shortlisted candidates for the Chempaka state seat by-election in a week.
“The names of the potential candidates are coming in now. God willing, the shortlist will be ready in a week,” Kelantan PAS commissioner Datuk Ahmad Yakob told reporters at a function, here, today.
themalaymailonline.com
Chempaka By-Election Polling Date Set For 22 March
The Election Commission (EC) has set March 22 for polling in the by-election for the Chempaka state constituency in Kelantan.
EC chairman Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said nomination day had been set for March 10 while early polling would be on March 18.
“Closing day for application for postal voting in the country is March 12, while application for postal voting for electors abroad will close on March 10,” he said at a media conference on the by-election for the Chempaka state constituency here today.
Umno Youth Is Not Keen On Barisan Nasional Contesting In The Chempaka By-Election, Preferring For The Party To Focus On Post-Flood Rehabilitation Efforts Instead
The Umno Youth feels that Barisan Nasional (BN) need not necessarily contest in the by-election for the Chempaka state seat, but to focus on flood rehabilitation process in Kelantan, reported Bernama today.
Its leader, Khairy Jamaluddin, said there was a need for cooperation between the federal and state governments to facilitate the smooth post-flood process.
themalaysianinsider.com
Pandangan saya, BN tak perlu bertanding PRK DUN Cempaka, Kelantan. Tapi BN mesti lawan di PRK Permatang Pauh.
— Khairy Jamaluddin (@Khairykj) February 14, 2015
Yesterday, Kelantan Umno Liaison chairman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said he personally felt that BN may not necessarily contest in the by-election for the Chempaka state seat.
“Usually, whenever there is an election there will be conflicts, disputes, security issues. My personal opinion is that we should avoid splits and disputes, we should focus on the post-flood rehabilitation efforts,” he added.
themalaymailonline.com
However, Analysts Say It Is Important For BN To Contest In The State Seat To Remain Relevant
Dr Azmi Hassan, a geostrategist at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, said BN needed to contest in the by-election to give the people an opportunity to express their support.
“If the post-flood events are considered, then the Chempaka by-election is the best platform to assess how far the federal government’s aid has been appreciated by the people of Kelantan,” he said when contacted by Bernama here today.
therakyatpost.com
Meanwhile, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) International and Political Studies lecturer Md Shukri Shuib said if BN did not contest, it would be an acknowledgement that PAS had automatic right to the seat “BN should not relinquish its responsibilities as a political party and deny the people the right to vote for who they want to represent them. "BN should not be soft in this matter and not lay down arms even before the fight begins.”
therakyatpost.com
Commenting On The Matter, BN Deputy Chairman Muhyiddin Yassin Says It Is Still To Early For The Party To Decide, Yet They Would Listen To The Suggestion
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership would look into the suggestion to stay out of the Chempaka by-election but pointed out it is too early to make a stand on the matter.
He said the BN Supreme Council would consider all suggestions brought forward by the state BN leadership in Kelantan and Penang on the Chempaka and Permatang Pauh by-elections.
"We will wait for the Election Commission to decide on both by-elections first but in the meantime, we are making the necessary preparation."
The Chempaka By-Election Is Expected To Be Called Following The Death Of 84-Year-Old Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat On Thursday, 12 February 2015
Nik Abdul Aziz passed away at his home in Kampung Pulau Melaka, Kota Bharu, Kelantan at 9.40pm on Thursday, February 12, 2015, about an hour upon returning from the hospital.
Nik Abdul Aziz (PAS) won the Chempaka state seat with a majority of 6,500 votes at the 13th General Election (GE13) in 2013. He received 12,310 votes while Wan Razman Wan Abd Razak (BN) received 5,810 votes.
therakyatpost.com
The Election Comission Will Announce The Nomination And Polling Date Within 60 Days
Kelantan State Assembly Speaker Datuk Abdullah Ya’kub said the Election Commission (EC) will be informed of the vacancy of the Chempaka seat on 15 February 2015.
“The Election Commission will determine the nomination date and the polling date for the Chempaka state by-election within 60 days.”
therakyatpost.com