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Bn Returns to Power in Kedah with Two-Third Majority

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Bn Returns to Power in Kedah with Two-Third Majority 30 NOV 1999 Election-Kedah (Round-up) BN RETURNS TO POWER IN KEDAH WITH TWO-THIRD MAJORITY ALOR SETAR, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- Barisan Nasional (BN) retained power in Kedah with a two-third majority in a close fight in the 10th general election. BN had to wait until the last result was announced to ensure that it could form a stable government through the Sidam state seat which was announced by the Election Commission (EC) at 4.10am. BN candidate Fong Chok Gin, who is also state Gerakan chairman, polled 11,038 votes to beat DAP's G. Gananaguru who garnered 5,556 votes in Sidam. Although BN managed to retain the government, its overall performance in the state declined when it conceded 12 state seats to PAS compared with only two seats in 1995. The BN performance at the parliamentary level also dropped drastically when it only managed to secure seven seats compared to the clean sweep in 1995. In the last general election, BN only lost the Bukit Raya and Sala state seats to PAS. This time around, they lost another eight seats namely Ayer Hitam, Kuala Nerang, Pedu, Bukit Lada, Langgar, Anak Bukit, Pengkalan Kundor, Belantek, Jeneri and Kupang on top of the two. At the parliamentary level, PAS won Jerlun in Padang Terap, Pokok Sena, Kuala Kedah, Pendang, Yan, Sik and Baling. DAP and Keadilan which entered into a pact with PAS to form the so-called Barisan Alternatif did not win any seat either at the state or parliamentary level. In the election this time around, BN also lost four State Exco members, a minister and a parliamentary secretary. The Exco members are Datuk Abdullah Hasnan Kamaruddin who was defeated by PAS president Datuk Fadzil Noor for the Anak Bukit state seat, Datuk Ghazali Ibrahim who lost to PAS' Wan Jaafar Wan Ahmad (Pedu), Abdul Rahman Ariffin who lost to Abdul Ghani Ahmad from PAS (Ayer Hitam), and Ahmad Lebai Sudin who lost to PAS' Sheikh Ismail Kamis (Bukit Lada). Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Paduka Dr Abdul Hamid Othman failed to defend his Sik Parliamentary seat, losing to controversial novelist Datuk Shahnon Ahmad. Parliamentary Secretary in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Othman Abdul lost to Fadzil Noor who also stood in Pendang. Political observers felt that despite forming the Kedah government, the BN victory in the state was not something to be proud of. This is due to the fact that the number of seats won and the majority in general had declined. In fact, in Kubang Pasu where Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad was defending his seat, BN had its majority eroded by about 7,000 votes from 22,399 in 1995 to 17,226 to beat PAS' Subky Latiff. What was surprising was the defeat of Abdul Hamid Othman in Sik by a mere 452-majority. Menteri Besar Tan Sri Sanusi Junid, who was defending his Kuah state seat, when commenting on the BN performance, said Kedah managed to return to power in Kedah although the state was among the four states targetted by PAS in the general election. He said the BN candidates were the best choice but the opposition propaganda which had been going on too long had an effect on the results. "If the selection of candidates were not right, the results could have been worse," he said. Political observers said seats such as Jerlun and Yan which were not expected to be won by PAS had been lost due to the change in sentiment among the electorates. Baling and Kuala Kedah had been expected right from the start to fall into PAS hands as the opposition candidates were far more popular than their BN rivals who were considered by the electorates as "outsiders", said an observer. -- BERNAMA TM AO.
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