freemalaysiatoday
By FMT Staff
FMT ALERT PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission today fixed the polling date for the Galas by-election on Nov 4. Nomination will be held on Oct 26.
The state seat fell vacant following the death of its rep, Che Hashim Sulaima, of PAS, on Sept 27.
The by-election is expected to see a straight fight between BN/Umno and PAS. The seat falls under the Gua Musang parliamentary constituency, held by Umno veteran and Kelantan prince Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.
Observers believe the Galas contest will be a tight race considering the volatile voting pattern. In 2004, Umno won the seat and in 2008, Che Hashim won when he polled 4,399 votes against BN’s Saufi Deraman who obtained 3,753 votes.
Malays make up 65.81% of the more than 10,000 voters in the state constituency, the Chinese 22.03%, Indians 1.81%, while other races 10.32%.
Two other state seats in the Gua Musang constituency — Nenggiri and Paloh — were won by BN with majority of 2,090 and 2,833 votes respectively.