KT by-election: 3 candidates in the fray
Three candidates filed their nomination papers this morning to contest in the Kuala Terengganu by-election on Jan 17.
Nominations - held at the Stadium Negeri in Jalan Sultan Mahmud - closed at 10am.
updated 11.45am
Barisan Nasional's Wan Ahmad Farid, PAS' Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut and independent candidate Azharudin Mamat will vie for the seat in the Jan 17 polls.
[PHOTO GALLERY & VIDEO INSIDE]
It will be a three-cornered fight for the Kuala Terengganu by-election on Jan 17.
As expected the two main candidates - Barisan Nasional's Wan Ahmad Farid and PAS' Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut - were among the earliest to submit their candidacy. Joining them was independent candidate Azharudin Mamat @ Adam.
Nominations - held at the Stadium Negeri in Jalan Sultan Mahmud - closed at 10am.
Wan Ahmad was the first to enter the nomination centre as soon as it opened at 9am. He was followed by Mohd Abdul Wahid at about 9.10am.
Businessman Azharudin (right) was the third candidate, filing his nomination just in time. The independent candidate managed to submit his forms about 9.58am.
He had arrived early at the nomination centre but had some problems with his forms which he had to correct.
Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia vice-president Harun Mohamad - who had previously said that he would also be contesting - decided at the last minute not to proceed.
He did enter the nomination centre at about 9.20am but soon came out and announced that he was withdrawing from the contest. He added that his party's aims were the same as those of PAS and that he would therefore back the Islamic party in the by-election.
During the objection period from 10am to 11am, four objections were filed.
However at about 11.30am returning officer Mat Razali Kassim said that the four objections were not accepted and confirmed the three-cornered fight.
The by-election, to be held after 11 days of campaigning, follows the sudden death of BN representative Razali Ismail on Nov 28.
There are a total of 80,229 voters in this constituency.
Big crowd at nomination centre
As is usual, a big crowd accompanied both Wan Ahmad and Mohd Abdul Wahid as they made their way to the nomination centre.
The police had earlier said that they were on standby in case of crowd trouble.
Thousands of PAS supporters had gathered near Wisma Persekutuan in Kuala Terengganu, some two kilometers away from the nomination centre from 8am.
About 8.55am, Mohd Abdul Wahid (centre in photo) led a procession from the assembly point to the nomination centre, after prayers were held at a mosque.
He was accompanied by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, party vice-president Husam Musa, Selangor Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, Perak Mentri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, PKR deputy leader Syed Husin Ali and DAP Youth chief Anthony Loke.
DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang, who arrived a little later, was given a seat between PAS leaders Hadi Awang and Harun Din (right).
Wan Ahmad was accompanied by BN supporters, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Said, MCA president Ong Tee Keat, Gerakan chief Dr Koh Tsu Koon, MIC leader S Subramaniam and other top ruling coalition leaders.
Also there were the three Umno Youth chief contestants - Khairy Jamaluddin, Dr Mohd Khir Toyo and Mukhriz Mahathir.
There are conflicting reports on the size of the crowd with one reporting that the police estimated 20,000 PAS supporters and 4,000 BN supporters had gathered for the nomination.
However, Star reported there were 30,000 BN supporters and 15,000 PAS supporters.
