SUNDAY-9TH MARCH 2008- BARISAN NASIONAL TAKES PERLIS EASILY

Barisan Nasional takes Perlis easily
KANGAR:
Perlis Barisan Nasional easily retained its hold on power in the state by winning 13 of the 15 state seats. It also won all of the three parliamentary seats. However, at press time, the Election Commission, had only released the results for the Tambun Tulang state seat which was won by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim. Unofficial results showed that two cabinet ministers from the state — Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad and Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid — had won in the Kangar and Padang Besar parliament seats respectively. BN Arau parliamentary candidate Datuk Ismail Kassim beat Pas deputy spiritual leader Datuk Dr Haron Din by 744 votes. The only blow to the state BN was Pas’ recapture of the Sanglang state seat. Unofficial results showed that Pas’ Hashim Jasin won the seat with a 50-vote majority over BN’s Abdullah Hassan. The other state seat that went to the opposition was Simpang Empat which Pas’ Rus’sele Eizan won with a 81- vote majority over the BN’s Zahari Bakar. Shahidan said he was happy with the win, promising to deliver on promises he had made to the people. Datuk Seri Syed Radzlan Syed Putra Jamalullail, the younger brother of the Raja of Perlis won the Pauh state seat with a 2,425 vote majority over Pas’ Abu Bakar Ali. The results proved that Shahidan’s efforts to close ranks within the state Umno had been successful. This was despite the infighting between Shahidan and Radzi and Azmi. Home Affairs minister and Kangar MP Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad was re-elected with a 22,821 majority. The Umno secretary-general was victorious over PKR newcomer Tunku Abdul Rahman Tunku Ismail. Radzi celebrated his win in Kuala Lumpur with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the Putra World Trade Centre. The five BN candidates in state constituencies in his parliamentary constituency also proved successful. They are Datuk Dr Md Isa Sabu (Bintong), Abdul Jamil Saad (Sena), Dr Por Choo Chor (Indera Kayangan), Ahmad Bakri Mi (Kayang) and Mat Hassan (Kuala Perlis).
In the Padang Besar parliament seat, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid was re-elected with a 5,348 majority over Pas candidate Zolkharnain Abidin.
The BN won all live state seats in Padang Besar: Chuping (Mansor Jusoh), Mata Ayer (Khairi Hassan), Santan (Sabri Ahmad), Titi Tinggi (Yip Sun Onn), Beseri (Mat Rawi Kassim).