Real show will begin when BN, Pas name their men

Datuk Seri Najib Razak's decision not to announce the BN candidate last Saturday when he was in Kuala Terengganu has, in fact, set tongues wagging that things have not been finalised.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER(Malaysia today)

Zubaidah Abu Bakar, New Straits Times

THE Kuala Terengganu by-election has more drama now with the possibility that it could turn into a five-cornered if not six-cornered fight.

This seat, which has seen classic contests between Umno and Pas, is also being eyed by others this time, including individuals running as independents.

Kuala Terengganu saw a three-cornered fight in March when 89-year-old grandmother Maimun Yusuf sprung a surprise when she announced her candidacy. Although she maintained that she had funded her own campaign, some believe there were a few politicians backing her.

Maimun is eyeing a second attempt and she is likely to get some funding to enable her to fulfil her dream. Some supporters are trying to raise money for her. And if it is true that she had been compensated by local politicians and businessmen after losing her deposit when managing only 686 votes nine months ago, she is likely be at the nomination centre again on Jan 6.

Another March 8 loser, Isma Airfath Hassanuddin from Kelantan, upstaged Barisan Nasional and Pas by being the first to announce his candidacy on Sunday.

Isma or Kosing, as the 44-year-old introduced himself, had contested the Rantau Pajang parliamentary seat in Kelantan in the last general election. He claims to be self-financed, although there are whispers of third-party involvement.

Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia is also interested in fielding a candidate.

The local circle is abuzz about another possible candidate -- a young local businessman who, it is said, would be making his announcement soon.

These, however, are mere sideshows to the two "real" candidates -- from Umno and Pas.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak's decision not to announce the BN candidate last Saturday when he was in Kuala Terengganu has, in fact, set tongues wagging that things have not been finalised.

Several local Umno leaders, including Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, insisted that it was a tactical decision to prevent the handing over of oil royalty payments to the state government from being overshadowed.

But others are saying that Ahmad Farid, the Kuala Terengganu Umno division chief, is no longer the hot favourite.

The name of Zuber Embong, a 44-year-old senior state education officer, is now on the lips of many. Zuber, who was offered a chance at the Pas stronghold of Wakaf Mempelam previously, is said to have an edge, securing votes from 2,000 of the state education fraternity.

The rumour mill in Pas is equally active, especially in pro-Pas blogs, with some promoting state Pas commissioner Datuk Mustaffa Ali, party vice-president and former candidate Mohamad Sabu and Batu Burok assemblyman Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi.

Things are expected to be clearer in a couple of days on the Pas front as party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang is now back from the haj.

But Pas will only announce its candidate on Jan 1, after the party's central committee meeting.

This will be a keenly contested battle since BN won the seat by a slim 628-vote majority through Umno candidate, the late Datuk Razali Ismail.

An independent poll conducted last week found that victory for Umno or Pas would only be by about a 1,000-vote difference in the constituency which has more than 80,000 voters.