Between the eyes: Bagan Pinang

Between the eyes: Umno's bullseye on PAS in Bagan Pinang

Produced by Shufiyan Shukur, Maran Perianen and Indrani Kopal


In seven previous by-elections, the Pakatan Rakyat coalition came out triumphant either fluttering the PAS or PKR banners. In Penanti, Barisan Nasional did not bother contesting and the PKR candidate, Mansor Othman overwhelmed the independents.

The most significant victory however was when Pakatan, under the PAS flag wrestled Kuala Terengganu from Barisan in January this year.

In Bagan Pinang however, Pakatan's winning streak came to an end.

On the October 11 Umno's Isa Samad trounced PAS' state commissioner, Zulkefly Mohd Omar by 5,435 votes.

PAS had acknowledged however, going into the by-election that a win would be an uphill task in the face of a formidable foe in the diminutive but popular form of Isa Samad who had been the state's menteri besar for 20 years.

But perhaps what shocked both the Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat is, one, the extent of the trouncing and two, the shift of non-Malay votes to Barisan Nasional.