PAS hails success in cutting BN’s Pelangai majority

PAS vice-president Amar Nik Abdullah said Perikatan Nasional was pleased in achieving 1,000 more votes compared to the 2022 election. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Despite its defeat to Barisan Nasional in the Pelangai by-election, Perikatan Nasional has hailed the results as a success in cutting BN’s winning majority by half from its previous outing in November last year.

PAS vice-president Amar Nik Abdullah said Pelangai was a BN stronghold, so we did not expect to win. “Even though we lost, it was a big achievement because the votes (for PN) increased by more than 1,000 and we managed to reduce BN’s majority.

For PAS this is a big achievement,” he told FMT.

BN successfully defended the Pelangai state assembly seat in the by-election today, with its candidate Amizar Abu Adam securing 7,324 votes to defeat Kasim Samat of PN (4,375 votes), and independent candidate Haslihelmy DM Zulhasli (47 votes), who lost his deposit.

Amizar’s majority of 2,949 votes was 1,100 votes less than the 4,048-vote majority of the late Johari Harun, who was elected in the November 2022 general election. Johari died in the Elmina plane crash in August.

The Pelangai victory is the third for the BN-Pakatan Harapan alliance, after by-elections for the Pulai parliamentary seat and Simpang Jeram state seat in Johor following the death of Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub, who had held both seats.

BN’s performance had come into focus after PN made large gains in last year’s general election and the six state elections in August. The victory in Pelangai had been anticipated by political analysts. - FMT