PAS retains parliamentary seat in Kemaman by-election
Terengganu chief minister Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar waving to his supporters at Arena Square Kemaman after winning the Kemaman by-election in southern Terengganu, Malaysia on Dec 2, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Fadza Ishak)
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CHUKAI, Terengganu: Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) on Saturday (Dec 2) retained the Kemaman seat when its candidate Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar won the by-election held for the parliamentary constituency in Terengganu.
The Terengganu chief minister won by a 37,220-vote majority, after securing 64,998 votes, defeating Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate and former army chief Raja Mohamed Affandi, who obtained 27,778 votes.
The official result was announced by returning officer Ahmad Farhan Abdul Wahab at the vote-tallying centre at the Kemaman Municipal Council’s Dewan Berlian Utama.
Ahmad Farhan said the voter turnout was 65.76 per cent.
Dr Ahmad Samsuri later thanked all Kemaman voters, and the PAS and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) machinery that helped make the by-election campaign a success over the past two weeks.
He said the victory surpassed the expectations of leaders from both parties, although the voter turnout was less than the expected 72 per cent.
“My focus in parliament, Insya Allah, will be on matters not only related to Kemaman but on Terengganu itself, on how we can contribute in various ways to Malaysia’s well-being,” Dr Ahmad Samsuri added.
Raja Mohamed congratulated his opponent and PAS on their victory, and thanked the Kemaman voters as well as the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), Barisan Nasional and the unity government machinery that supported him.
“We can only put in the effort, and I leave the rest to Allah SWT,” he said.
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At the 15th General Election (GE15), PAS, through its candidate Che Alias Hamid, won the Kemaman seat with a 27,179-vote majority, defeating three other candidates: Ahmad Said (BN), Hasuni Sudin (Pakatan Harapan) and Rosli Ab Ghani (Parti Pejuang Tanah Air).
The by-election was held following a decision on Sep 26 by a court in Terengganu to nullify Che Alias' victory in GE15.
The court cited that corruption had taken place with the aim of influencing voters.
PAS controls the other remaining seven federal constituency seats in Terengganu.
