BN's engineer takes on PAS' treasurer in Kuala Besut

VIDEO | 6.47

It will be a battle between an engineer and a businessperson as both BN and PAS unveiled their candidates for the Kuala Besut state seat by-election.

This afternoon, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin picked civil engineer Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abdul Rahman as its candidate after visiting the semi-rural constituency.

On the other side, PAS deputy president Abdul Hadi Awang tonight announced businessperson Azlan Yusof, who is also Kuala Besut PAS treasurer at a ceramah there.

Azlan who is more fondly known as Che Long, is seen as a popular figure among the locals in Kuala Besut.

On BN's side, Tengku Zaihan (right in photo), 37, worked with the Drainage and Irrigation Department in Putrajaya and holds a degree in civil engineering from Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Tengku Zaihan, a father of four and husband to a teacher, has relinquished his position in the civil service to contest in the by-election.

In making the announcement, Muhyiddin, who will be leading the BN campaign in the by-election, said the contest is important to ensure BN's rule in Terengganu.

BN confident of retaining seat

In the last general election, BN won 17 seats to PAS' 15 in the Terengganu state assembly.

If BN fails to defend the Kuala Besut seat, both parties will have an equal number of seats, leaving the fate of the BN-led state government in a balance.

However, Muhyiddin appeared positive that BN would retain its traditional stronghold, but warned against over-confidence.

The Election Commission has fixed July 12 as nomination day, with a campaign period of 12 days.

In the general election two months ago, BN's Dr A Rahman Mokthar garnered 8,809 votes to take the Kuala Besut seat, defeating PAS' Napisah Ismail who bagged 6,375 votes.

Rahman's death from lung cancer on June 26 triggered the by-election.