SEA OF SUPPORTERS SHOWS BN, PAS DOMINANT FORCES

3 parties are standing in all eight parliamentary and 32 state seats in Terengganu

ASTARK contrast in support for political parties, from as low as 30 supporters to as many as 10,000 people, is sending a clear signal on the main contenders in Terengganu in the 14th General Election.

Barisan Nasional, Pas and PKR will contest in all eight parliamentary constituencies and 32 state seats, with 119 candidates vying for victory on May 9.

All candidates will contest one seat each, except for PKR’s Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah, who will contest the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary and Batu Buruk state seats.

At all the eight nomination centres, it was obvious that BN and Pas remained the two main contenders in the state as both parties rallied from 5,000 to 10,000 supporters in Kuala Terengganu, Besut and Kemaman.

PKR failed to muster its supporters in Marang and Kuala Nerus, with about 30 supporters rallying behind its candidates there, and not more than 200 supporters in the six other constituencies.

The PKR supporters were lost in the sea of blue and green, and the situation gave a bad first impression on its machinery.

The thought of some PKR candidates losing their deposits looked like a real possibility in Terengganu.

Overall, the nominations of candidates went smoothly and the high humidity following heavy rain yesterday failed to dampen the spirits of supporters, who gathered outside the nomination centres from as early as 7am.

Large crowds of supporters were obvious in Besut, Kuala Nerus, Kuala Terengganu, Dungun, Marang and Kemaman, where there are three-cornered fights.

These are the constituencies that have party stalwarts leading the battle.