Rompin by-election: Straight fight between BN, PAS

The acting Rompin UMNO division chief submitted his nomination papers at 9.07am while the Pahang PAS Youth chief submitted his at 9.04am.

The nomination process, held in the Dewan Jubli Perak Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah here, closed at 10am after it was opened an hour before.

An independent candidate, blog writer Mohd Shukri Mohd Ramli, had on Monday announced that he would contest the by-election but he was stopped from entering the nomination centre this morning for failure to furnish his financial statement as well as a proposer and supporter.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that Hasan was earlier accompanied by BN deputy chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, UMNO vice-president and BN coordinator for the Rompin by-election Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, MIC deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S.Subramaniam, Gerakan vice-president Datuk A. Kohilan Pillay as well as 5,000 BN members and supporters.

They had marched from Puteri Inn, about 30 metres from the nomination centre at 8.50am.

As for Nazri, he was accompanied by PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali, Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob, PKR vice-presidents Nurul Izzah Anwar and Tian Chua as well as 1,000 supporters.

The group marched from the Petronas petrol station, some 200 metres from the nomination centre, at 8.45am.

The Rompin by-election was called following the death of its incumbent, Tan Sri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis, in a helicopter crash in Semenyih, Selangor last April 4.

In the 13th general election, Jamaluddin retained the seat, which he held for nearly six terms, after defeating former PAS Muslimat chief Nuridah Mohd Salleh with a 15,114 majority-vote.

The Rompin by-election is the ninth by-election after the 13th general election was held in May 5, 2013.

The Rompin constituency has 53,294 registered voters comprising 52,744 ordinary voters, 545 early voters and five absentee voters as they are overseas.