The nomination day: Oct 26, 2010

At around 8am in the morning

The anticipated nomination day for Galas by-election started off calm and organized. Police are everywhere to ensure the nomination process goes by smoothly without a glitch. The nomination was held at the Land and District office from 9-10 am with another hour of objection period. There was only one objection but it was not entertained by the EC. 

BN supporters

Pas supporters

Suporters were located 180 metres away from each other which helped a lot in avoiding any provocation that may arise during the heated chantings of each party.

The nomination was brought to online readers live as to provide real-time updates on the ongoings of the nomination process.The same will be done on the polling day on Nov 4. Do let us know if you have any ideas or suggestions on what more we can bring for you from Galas.

Tweeting, Datuk?

So this time around, the by-election will be a straight fight between; Abdul Aziz Yusoff, 49, (BN) and Dr Zulkefli Mohamad, 44, (PAS). Both candidates came flanked by leaders from the respective parties.

Hopefully the peaceful campaigning will continue until the polling day. May the best candidate win!

Everything is pricey!

Yours truly was born in KL, raised partly in KL and Malacca, and now working and residing in KL. So it comes as a huge surprise when almost everything here is so pricey, even more so than in KL!

Rice with ikan tongkol, with teh tarik= RM6.50

From food, car wash prices, laundry, and accommodation prices be it little inns or hotels, they can go up as high as the sky. The trauma of going to eat out and given the 'outsider' look and slammed with a high price of goods and services sometimes left me eating instant noodles at the hotel we reside in.

A visit to a local carwash gave me the opportunity to ask about this 'price hike' phenomena. The answer was "Ni meme hargo beso kak... kalu dok pilihanraya pon hargo ni jugok..."(This is the usual price, with or without the by-election)  Errmmm.. and my raised eyebrow prompted another explanation..." Kadang2 kami pun kena harge yang maha!" (Even we ourselves are sometimes given high prices) . She did give me tips though on places to eat where it's usually cheaper.

Among the usual spots for dinner

The operative word here being 'kadang2"(sometimes). I have been here for 6 days now...yet to land a normal price. A facebook status gave me an answer from a friend that Kelantanese have separate prices between locals and outsiders. Oh darn, then I'm in for a price ride everytime I go anywhere. I have mulled acting like an OKU as a friend suggested...but as yet, I haven't had the heart to do it...:-P

This is NST reporters' home till Nov 4

The writer of this blog has finally succeeded in locating the one and only mamak stall in Gua Musang. A victory in my eyes, the different taste buds left me suffering...:-) Will update more...see ya!

Galas: The facts and figures

Here is a little background of the N45 DUN Galas by-election:

Constituency: N45 Galas

Candidates:

Abdul Aziz Yusoff, 49, (BN), former Kesedar operations manager;

Dr Zulkefli Mohamad, 44, (PAS) (medical practitioner)

Incumbent: Che Hashim Che Sulaima, 46, (PAS) (Che Hashim died on Sept 27 after suffering from colon cancer. He won the seat in 2008 general election after defeating BN's Mohamed Saufi Deraman by a 646-vote margin)

District: Gua Musang

Number of voters: 11,553 (127 postal voters)

Composition:

Malay (7,125 or 61.7 per cent),

Chinese (2,317 or 20.06 per cent),

Indian (185),

Orang Asli (1,889)

Siamese community (10).

Economic activities: Agriculture and business

Returning officer: Wan Mustapha Wan Abdul Hamid

Polling: Nov 4, 2010

Polling streams: 25

Polling centres: 13

Number of polling districts requiring helicopter service: Four in Orang Asli area (Belatim, Balar, Bihai and Hau)

Vote-tallying centre: Dewan Pusat Sivik Gua Musang, Jalan Pesiaran Raya, Gua Musang.