Now, Pengerang is drawing a handful of potential candidates who hope to win votes on the back of public concern over the development of the RM60 billion Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid)

Grassroots activist Chua Peng Sia acknowledged that Pengerang's contentious development plans have renewed interest in the seat that was previously overlooked.

This was mainly due to Pengerang's rather inaccessible location in the far-flung southeast of Johor, which is closer to Singapore than it is to Johor Baru which is 110km away.

Additionally, Johor has always been viewed as a Barisan Nasional (BN) fortress and it is only in the lead up to the 13th general election that Pakatan Rakyat has felt confident enough to launch a big blitz down south.

The flag wars along Pengerang's main strip reflect the election stage that is in the works.

On a recent visit, fz.com found the rural town's narrow coastal roads lined up with mostly BN and Umno flags.

On the other side of the political divide, the most visible flags are those of PKR and PAS. Only a sprinkling of DAP flags flutter alongside those of their coalition partners.

Based on the previous seat arrangements, Pengerang is deemed a PKR seat, but this time around, PAS wants to place its own candidate there.

"PAS has been doing a lot of groundwork in the constituency," a Pakatan insider told fz.com. "They are hoping to negotiate with PKR to contest in Pengerang. We'll have to see how that plays out in the larger strategy for Johor."

It is understood that at least two potential independent candidates have been surveying the terrain in Pengerang with a view to making their bids for the seat.

Chua, who is the treasurer of the Gabungan NGO Pengerang opposing Rapid, said local groups believe that PAS has the best odds to take on BN in Pengerang.

"PKR doesn't look like they have a strong candidate to put here to fight. So for now, we think we can work with PAS to fight," Chua said when met in Pengerang.  

Potential shift on the BN side?

On the BN side, Azalina - Pengerang's incumbent parliamentarian – knows that her opponents are lining up to contest in the constituency, but she is unfazed.

When asked, she said, "Ya, ya. But this is a free and democratic country so they are free to do whatever, stand (for election) wherever."

But Azalina remained coy on whether she will indeed be fielded by BN to defend the seat.

The former tourism minister said the final decision rests with BN chairman and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

"(If he says I stand) then I am ready, able and willing!" Azalina said in a phone interview.

A local Umno source however said it is not "100% certain" that Azalina will be fielded by BN to defend Pengerang.

Speculation is rife that Home Minister and Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein is considering a move to Pengerang.

Hishammuddin, who is currently the MP for Sembrong, is said to be deciding between the Kota Tinggi and Pengerang parliamentary seats.

Pengerang is considered a safe seat for BN due to a large Felda presence and small percentage of Chinese voters.

The constituency has 37,225 registered voters, including 1,108 postal voters who are mostly army officers, according to the Election Commission's latest published data.

According to Azalina, Chinese voters make up just over 10% of Pengerang's total voters while the rest are Malays.

Amongst the Malays, 70% of them are in the inland Felda schemes while the rest of them live in villages nearer to the coast.

An indication of Pengerang voters' preference can be gleaned from the past results of the contest for the Penawar and Tanjong Surat state seats that fall under the parliamentary constituency.

BN won the two seats by a landslide in 2008 after securing close to 90% of total votes in both constituencies.

Although that was a decisive victory, it is still some way from the results of the 2004 general election. That year, BN took almost 95% of the votes in Tanjong Surat and won Penawar in a walkover after no opponent showed up.

At the state level, PAS is expected to field a candidate in Penawar while PKR is likely to contest in Tanjong Surat, in keeping to the seat arrangements in the 2008 election.

Azalina dismisses claims that the contentious Rapid project could erode support for BN in Pengerang in the upcoming election.

She said the Johor state government has been proactively engaging with Pengerang residents to explain and find solutions to any disruptions arising from the ongoing construction of the project.

The former Puteri Umno chief believes that early public apprehension about the project has mostly been placated after the state's explanations and compensation offers for those affected by land acquisition.

She blames Pakatan for stirring up trouble and bringing in outsiders to stage protests in the idyllic town.

"This is all politics. Election is coming. These are opposition tricks," Azalina said.

She notes that Pakatan's election manifesto merely announced a review of the Rapid project, not a scrapping of the plans unlike Johor PKR chief Datuk Seri Dr Chua Jui Meng's earlier stand.

Chua, a former MCA president who joined the opposition party, has spoken out against Rapid and accused it of being a plot to grab land under the guise of development.

These remarks have raised the ire of Azalina, who challenged Chua to fight her in Pengerang instead of wanting to contest semi-urban seats like Bakri or Segamat – that are perceived to be safer for the opposition.

"If you care so much, come and stand in Pengerang. Be a man. Have some balls. Challenge me in Pengerang. I want to see how strong Chua Jui Meng is," said the feisty lawyer-turned-politician.