The Kajang state by-election will see a straight fight between Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate Datin Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

The Election Commission (EC) confirmed receiving both the candidates’ nomination papers at the Kajag Municipal Council sports complex at Section 15, Bandar Baru Bangi this morning.

Chew, 50, whi is also MCA Vice-President, handed in her nomination papers to returning officer Datuk Hassan Nawawi Abdul Rahman at 9.07am while Wan Azizah, who is also PKR president, handed in her nomination papers at 9.10am.

“The official candidates for the Kajang state by-election is Chew Mei Fun and Wan Azizah,” he announced after the end of the nomination period at 10am.

The Kajang state by-election began today with the nomination of candidates at the Kajang Municipal Council sports complex, Section 15, Bandar Baru Bangi at 9am.

Chew Mei Fun arrived at the nomination center at 8.55am accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, while Wan Azizah arrived at 9.05am accompanied by her husband, PKR advidor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The by-election has been necessitated by the sudden resignation of its assemblyman, Lee Chin Cheh of PKR on Jan. 27.

Lee had reportedly vacated the seat to enable Anwar to contest the by-election so as to pave the way for him to eventually replace Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as the Menteri Besar of Selangor.

On February 17, former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim announced his intention to contest in the Kajang by-election to ensure the current Selangor Menteri Besar remains in power.

However on March 8, a three-man Court of Appeal panel, chaired by Justice Balia Yusof Wahi with Justices Aziah Ali and Mohd Zawawi Salleh sentenced Anwar to five years jail after finding him guilty of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan in 2008.

The court also granted Anwar a stay of execution of the sentence with a bail of RM10,000 in one surety.

Anwar then announced he will no longer contest for the Kajang by-election but will continue to campaign to ensure a win for Pakatan Rakyat in the March 23 polls and named Wan Azizah as the new candidate.

Following the announcement, Zaid then withdrew from contesting in the by-election .

According to the EC, the Kajang constituency has 39,278 voters, 1,197 of whom are early voters and 26, absentee voters.

The voters comprise Malays (48 percent), Chinese (40 percent) and Indians (10 percent). Women make up five per cent of the electorate.

Eighteen polling centres will be opened for the by-election.

Three of the centres will be for the early voting on March 19 and the remaining 15 for the ordinary polling on March 23.