HULU SELANGOR (May 11): Pakatan Harapan-DAP’s (PH-DAP) Pang Sock Tao has emerged victorious in the Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) state by-election, with a 3,869-vote margin over Perikatan Nasional-Bersatu (PN-Bersatu) candidate Khairul Azhari Saut.
The Election Commission (EC) announced on Saturday night that Pang had secured 14,000 votes from the state seat’s multi-ethnic electorate, while Khairul Azhari garnered 10,131 votes.
On the periphery, independent Nyau Ke Xin got 188 votes, while Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s (PRM) Hafizah Zainuddin got 152 votes.
Overall, only 60.8% of KKB’s registered voter base came out to cast their ballots in this by-election.
This was even lower than the 68.3% turnout seen in the state polls in August last year, which already fell short of the 83.7% in 2018 and 83.6% in 2013. KKB’s voter base comprises 46.9% Malay, followed by 30.3% Chinese, and 17.8% Indian.
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On the ground, PH Selangor chief Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari highlighted three significant achievements resulting from the victory in the KKB by-election. "Firstly, the unity government candidate managed to increase the share of votes to about 57%, up from 54% in the state election last year," Amirudin stated.
Additionally, the Selangor menteri besar noted that the unity government appeared to be popular among early police and military voters.
He further claimed that in three polling districts predominantly inhabited by Malay voters, namely Sungai Air Jernih, Kerling, and Pertak, there was a swing in Malay votes, resulting in the victory of the unity government candidate in all three polling districts.
"I believe this signifies the people's endorsement of the unity government, both at the federal and state levels," he added.
Meanwhile, Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu attributed the loss of PN in the by-election to the absence of voters residing outside the town.
Nevertheless, he stated that the opposition accepts the results with an open heart, and remains committed to working hard to regain support in KKB.
"Early analysis of the results showed that PN had made gains in certain polling districts, while there was also an increase in youth votes towards PN," Ahmad Faizal said.
He did not rule out plans to file an election petition for the KKB by-election.
“We will look into what we can do, and definitely, further action will be taken,” he said.
Earlier, Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan of PAS, a component party of PN, claimed that PH used government machinery to campaign for the state by-election.
Nevertheless, Pang’s 3,869-vote victory in this iteration of KKB’s polls is thinner than what PH-DAP put on show last year.
In the state election in August last year, KKB’s incumbent, PH-DAP’s Lee Kee Hiong, secured victory against challengers from PN, PRM, and the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance, retaining the seat for a third consecutive term with a majority of 4,119 votes.
At the PH main election operations room was a lively atmosphere well before the official results were announced by the EC.
DAP leaders and supporters erupted into cheers chanting 'Pang Sock Tao' and 'Kerajaan Perpaduan' (the unity government) in declaring their victory. Senior leaders such as DAP national deputy chairman Gobind Singh Deo and Selangor DAP secretary Ng Sze Han were also present.
The KKB seat fell vacant following Lee’s passing in March this year to cancer. With PH’s triumph in the by-election, the coalition retains its 32-seat count in the Selangor state assembly.
Coupled with Barisan Nasional’s two seats, the unity government holds 34 seats in the 56-seat state assembly — above the 29-seat requirement for a simple majority. PN holds the remaining 22 seats.