The New Straits Times, 5 February 2014
KUALA LUMPUR: From as far back as 1986, the Kajang state seat in Hulu Langat, Selangor, has frequently changed hands between the Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties and opposition parties during general elections.
Having a good mix of industrial, commercial and housing developments,
the town also has traditional villages whose residents are actively
involved in the agriculture sector.
Based on the electoral rolls of the 13th General Election of May last
year, its voter profile consists of 48.48 per cent Malays, 40.46 per
cent Chinese and 10.15 per cent Indians.
For the past two general elections since 2008, the seat has been held by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
In 2008, Lee Kim Sin defeated MCA incumbent Datin Paduka Low Lee Leng
by a majority of 3,268 votes. Last year, Lee Chin Cheh defended the seat
for his party with a majority of 6,824 votes in a six-cornered fight.
In 1986, the seat was won by the DAP's Chan Kok Kit by a majority of 1,651 votes.
The DAP retained the seat in 1990 through its former deputy chairman,
Dr Tan Seng Giaw, who secured it by a majority of 3,911 votes in a
straight fight with Khoo Chai Hong of the Barisan Nasional (BN).
Then, in 1995, it was BN's turn to recapture the seat. MCA's Choong Tow
Chow defeated Dr Safie Ibrahim of PAS with a majority of 7,705 votes,
but PAS managed to wrest it back from Choong in 1999 by a mere 37 votes
through Dr Shafie Abu Bakar.
In 2004, the seat went back to the BN when Low Lee Leng defeated PKR candidate Kim Sin by a majority of 2,773 votes.
And now, less than a year from the last general election in 2013, the
Kajang state constituents are forced yet again to select someone to
represent them in the Selangor state assembly.
In fact, a day after the seat was vacated by assemblyman Lee Chin Cheh
on Jan 27, PKR announced its de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,
who is the Opposition Leader, as its candidate for the by-election.
Meanwhile, the BN has not decided if it will field an MCA candidate or
give the opportunity to contest to one of its other component parties.
Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof today announced
the by-election's nomination and polling days as March 11 and March 23,
respectively, with a 12-day campaign period.
A total of 39,278 registered voters are eligible to vote in the
by-election, including 1,197 advance voters and 26 absentee or overseas
voters. - BERNAMA
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