Tenang - the calm before the storm

The late Sulaiman

The impending contest is symbolically important , for despite Johor being a BN stronghold, particularly so an Umno stronghold, Tenang has a balanced racial mix and is considered a fair micro-representation of the sentiments of the voters in the peninsula.


The residents living around the quiet hills of Tenang may well be jolted out of their reverie as the fanfare of a by-election is set to roll into their town.

While the Election Commission falls back to fix the date for the country's 14th by-election following the death of BN assemblyman Sulaiman Taha, the one thing the people of Tenang can expect is a sudden flood of activity into their placid lifestyle.

The rolling hills and laid-back atmosphere of the constituency are a perfect fit with the name of the town, which means 'calm' in Malay.

The semi-agrarian residents of Tenang also represent the perfect racial blend that would be indicative of the nation's overall voting trends - making this a definitive battle between BN and Pakatan Rakyat.

The impending contest is symbolically important , for despite Johor being a BN stronghold, particularly so an Umno stronghold, Tenang has a balanced racial mix and is considered a fair micro-representation of the sentiments of the voters in the peninsula.

The number of registered voters under this state seat stood at 14,511 in 2008, with Malays accounting for 7,196, Chinese (5,549), Indians 1,752 and the lain-lain (others) making up 14 votes.

Small margins of victory

Sulaiman, said to have died from complications related to diabetes, won the seat with 6,367 votes in the 2008 general election, amounting to a 2,492-vote majority over PAS candidate Mohd Saim Siran's 3,875 votes.

The votes, however, were a 16 percent decrease for the BN if compared with the 2004 general election, with the opposition winning three of 12 polling centres under the Tenang seat -Bandar Labis Timor, Bandar Labis Tengah and Labis.

Tenang is one of two state seats under the Labis parliamentary constituency, which has long been an MCA bastion and is now held by Chua Tee Yong, the son of MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek. The other state seat is Bekok, currently held by BN's Tan Kok Hong.

The BN's wins in these three seats in the last general election were slim, with Chua taking 13,658 votes or a 4,094-vote majority over DAP's Teo Eng Ching (9,564 votes), out of the total 33,468 voters.

The difference was even smaller in Bekok, with Tan (7,510 votes) garnering a 1,944-vote majority over the DAP's Chan Teck Chee (5,566 votes).

Sulaiman is the 11th elected representative to have died since the March 2008 general election.

Three other by-elections were called as a result of resignations - that of Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Permatang Pauh, August 2008), V Arumugam (Bukit Selambau, April 2009) and Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin (Penanti, May 2009).

- Malaysiakini