Kuala Lumpur is set to see straight fights in all its 11 parliamentary constituencies except Bukit Bintang where a four-way battle will take place.

Almost all major political parties are fairly represented in the capital, namely Umno (two candidates), MCA (2), Gerakan (3), DAP (5), Parti Rakyat Keadilan (4) and PAS (2). The list also includes a sole candidate from the Malaysian Democratic Party and an independent contender.

Hundreds of supporters from the various parties crowded the nomination centres in the city this morning, with Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters outnumbering the rest.

Huge gatherings were noted in Kepong, Segambut and Wangsa Maju where crowds were reported to reach between 500 and 1,000.

During nomination, objections were raised by a number of the candidates against their opponents but none were accepted by the Election Commission (EC) returning officers.

Under new EC guidelines, all nominees are still allowed to withdraw their candidacy within the next three days but their RM10,000 deposit would be forfeited.

Military men do battle

With the confirmed list of names, the hottest and most unpredictable seats in Kuala Lumpur appear to be Bukit Bintang, Kepong and Setiawangsa.

The Bukit Bintang fight will see a contest between two prominent political parties - MCA and DAP - and two strong personalities - MDP's Wee Choo Keong and independent Billi Lim.

In Kepong, DAP five-term incumbent Dr Tan Seng Giaw is likely to face a tough challenge from his two-time rival lawyer Ma Woei Chyi.

Although a fairly even distribution of supporters started gathering at the area's nomination centre this morning, the number of Ma's supporters were said to have increased substantially later on.

As for Setiawangsa, a new seat carved from the Wangsa Maju constituency, the balance could tip either way for the two former military officers, Umno Wangsa Maju MP Zulhasnan Rafique and his PAS challenger (Ret-maj) Abdul Rashid Hassan Basri.

"No one can tell who will win because this is a new area," said Abdul Rashid when contacted. "I was talking with Zulhasnan and we both feel we face the same chances."

Public participation

Two of the most likely incumbents to retain their seats, DAP's Teresa Kok at Seputeh and Gerakan's Dr Tan Kee Kwong at Segambut, were nevertheless modest about their chances.

When questioned, Kok would only say that she would "try her best" while Tan's assistant Chung Chee Kin said the Gerakan leader would campaign hard as long as there is an opposition eyeing the seat.

Kok had won her seat with a 5,200-vote majority while Tan thumped his rival by 8,500 votes.

Another almost sure-win, DAP MP Tan Kok Wai, however, has already a complaint against the EC.

"Steven Chan (Tan's seconder) will also be lodging an official complaint with the state election officer over the lack of a public display of the nomination forms.

"It is not only an election agent who can file a protest. Anyone should be allowed to do so," he said.

Symbolic seat

Meanwhile, the Batu constituency which was supposed to see strong Keadilan representation this morning because of the candidacy of the party's vice-president Tian Chua turned out to be lacklustre event.

Tian Chua's nomination for the seat was submitted by his representatives while he attended nomination in Kedah for the Lunas state seat, where he is also contesting.

Batu incumbent MP Ng Lip Yong (Gerakan), who is seeking his second term in office, capitalised on the Keadilan leader's absence saying that this could be a sign of things to come.

"If the candidate cannot even turn up for nomination, how will he (serve) here?" he questioned.

Keadilan will also be fielding Sahri Bahari against MCA's Yew Teong Look in Wangsa Maju; Dr Sanusi Osman against Umno Wanita incumbent Shahrizat Abdul Jalil in Lembah Pantai; and Rosli Ibrahim against MCA incumbent Tan Chai Ho in Bandar Tun Razak.

When contacted, Yew said Sahri had attempted to object his candidacy on account of his senatorship with the previous government. "I had already resigned so it was not a problem," he said.

Yew expressed confidence in winning the seat although it is a Malay-majority area which he inherited from current Umno incumbent Zulhasnan, who is now running for the Setiawangsa seat.

"I don't know how come MCA was allocated this seat but wherever the party wants me to contest, I will do so," he said.

In two other constituencies falling under the Federal Territories - Putrajaya and Labuan - voters will also be seeing straight fights.

Umno bigwig Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor will (left) be contesting against Keadilan secretary-general Abdul Rahman Othman for the sparsely populated yet highly symbolic Putrajaya seat.

In Labuan, Umno incumbent Suhaili Abdul Rahman will be facing a challenge from PAS nominee Mattusin Abdul Rahman.