The new faces fielded by the BN and Pakatan Rakyat saw a mixed bag of fortunes in yesterday's 13th general election.

The new faces were not only to replace the old guards but also to meet the aspirations of the voter populace significantly represented by the younger generation.

Among the earliest to shine was BN's Rosman Isli, who won the three-cornered fight for the Labuan parliamentary seat with a 6,625 majority.

The newbie's challengers, Ibrahim Menudin (PKR) obtained 6,069 votes, while Hadnan Mohamad (PAS) only managed to get 386 votes.

In Sarawak, Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party's (SPDP) greenhorn Anthony Nogeh Gumbek wrested the Mas Gading parliamentary seat for BN with a 2,156-vote majority in a four cornered fight.

NONESurprisingly, the new face even managed to oust veteran parliamentarians such as Dr Tiki Lafe (left, who stood as an Independent) and Patrick Anek Uren (State Reform Party, Star) and Mordi Bimol of the DAP.

In Kedah, Reezal Merican Naina Merican did BN proud by winning the Kepala Batas seat in his maiden attempt with a 4,176-vote majority over PAS' Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden. Reezal Merican received 25,128 votes while Afnan Hamimi received 20,952.

MIC's newcomer K Raven Kumar also helped enhance BN's standing by defeating PKR's MS Murugan with a 13,014-vote majority to win the Tenggaroh state seat in Johor.

Another newcomer, Normala Abdul Samad of BN, edged Ahmad Faidhi Saidi of PKR with a slim majority of 935 votes in a tight race for the Pasir Gudang parliamentary seat, also in Johor.

Giant-slayer in maiden attempt

In Selangor, debutant Mohd Rafizi Ramli of PKR won the Pandan parliamentary seat with a handsome majority of 26,729 votes. Rafizi recorded 48,183 votes against Lim Chin Yee's (BN) 21,454 and Independent candidate Tan Yew Leng's 2,415.

NONEAlso, PKR's Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Akin turned into a giant-slayer in his maiden attempt, defeating incumbent Malacca Chief Minister Ali Rustam with a 5,447-vote majority for the Bukit Katil parliamentary seat.

However, not all the new faces were lucky. As for BN's Chua Teik Siang, it was a 'David versus Goliath' fight for the Bagan parliamentary seat as he was pitted against a real tough opponent, DAP's stalwart and caretaker Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

The MCA's new face managed a decent 12,307 votes against Guan Eng's 46,466 votes.

Gerakan's Dominic Lau Hoe Chai, too, was in a similar predicament as he took on PKR's Tian Chua, who won the Batu parliamentary seat with a 13,284-vote majority.

In Segambut, novice B Jayanthi Devi (BN) garnered a decent 22,184 votes against Lim Lip Eng of DAP. It is a real good show by Jayanthi despite being a first-timer and contesting in an opposition parliamentary stronghold.

Luck also did not favour Dr King Ban Siang (BN), at 24 the youngest candidate to contest in this election. King lost the Penggaram state seat in Johor to Gan Peck Cheng of DAP with a 19,051-vote majority.

- Bernama