Ijok by-election, 2007

The 2007 Ijok by-election was held on 28 April 2007. The seat of Ijok in the State Legislative Assembly of Selangor, Malaysia, fell vacant after the death of the incumbent, Datuk K. Sivalingam, on 4 April 2007 from a heart attack. Sivalingam was a member of the state executive council as well as the deputy chairman of the Selangor state Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a component party of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. [Vijian, P. (4 April 2007). [http://bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=254966 Selangor Exco Member Sivalingam Dies Of Heart Attack In Chennai] . "Bernama".] The by-election was won by the BN candidate K. Parthiban, with a 1,850-vote majority over the opposition candidate, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.cite web | title = Big turnout cheer for Barisan| publisher = thestar.com.my| date = 2007-04-29| url = http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/4/29/nation/17587039&sec=nation| accessdate = 2007-04-30]

Background

State assembly seat N.08 Ijok lies in parliamentary seat P.096 Kuala Selangor. As of the 2004 General Elections, Ijok was a Malay-majority seat (50.6%), followed by Indians (28.3%), Chinese (20.9%) and others (0.2%). In the 2004 election, the late Datuk K. Sivalingam of the MIC (a component party of the BN coalition), garnered 5,213 votes, defeating Abdul Rahman Moharam of the People's Justice Party (PKR) (3,564 votes) and independent candidate Mohamed Shariff Nagoorkani (313 votes).cite web | last = | first = | title = Nominee Details for the state assembly - IJOK| publisher = pilihanraya.com.my| date = | url = http://www.pilihanraya.com.my/English/assemblyNominees.asp?assemblyId=364| accessdate = 2007-04-13]

Pre-nomination speculation

Barisan Nasional

There was no shortage of potential candidates from the BN coalition; the English daily "The Star" had quoted MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu that 23 MIC members have expressed interest to contest the by-election. [cite news | last = | first = | title = MIC has 23 potential candidates for Ijok by-election| publisher = The Star| date = 2007-04-10| url = http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/4/10/nation/20070410191200&sec=nation| accessdate = 2007-04-15] However, the two leading favorites were said to be MIC central working committee members S. Murugesan and T. Mohan.cite news | last = Ganesh | first = V.S| title = Lawyer Murugesan heads shortlist| publisher = New Straits Times| date = 2007-04-11| url = http://www.nst.com.my/Article/vArt?did=20070411075748| accessdate = 2007-04-15] Other names bandied by the media included teacher and MIC Kuala Selangor division chief P. Thirumoorthy, Shah Alam division vice-chairman S. Muruga Vellu and Kota Raja deputy chief R. Subramaniam. However, on April 16 2007, the BN picked a relative unknown, former teacher K. Parthiban as its by-election candidate. [cite news | last = Singh | first = D. | title = Parthiban BN’s pick for Ijok| publisher = thestar.com.my| date = 2007-04-17| url = http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/4/17/nation/17460150&sec=nation| accessdate = 2007-04-20] The selection prompted the MIC Kuala Selangor division chief P. Thirumoorthy, a relative party heavyweight on the candidate shortlist to quit the MIC, only to backtrack and declare his support for Parthiban two days later. [cite news | title = Thirumoorthy expresses support for BN candidate in Ijok| publisher = bernama.com| date = 2007-04-18| http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=257507| accessdate = 2007-04-20]

Opposition

Meanwhile, the two major opposition parties, the Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) and the Democratic Action Party (DAP), in a rare display of opposition solidarity, both threw their support behind the PKR for the by-election.cite news | last = | first = | title = PAS, DAP ready to back PKR in Ijok (subscription required)| publisher = Malaysiakini| date = 2007-04-15| url = http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/65958| accessdate = 2007-04-15] PKR's campaign will be led by party adviser and former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The leading potential candidate was current party treasurer and former Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd and Permodalan Nasional Bhd CEO Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, although some PKR members lobbied for an Indian candidate. [cite news | last = Ong| first =A | title = Khalid likely to be PKR choice for Ijok (subscription required)| publisher = Malaysiakini| date = 2007-04-14| url = http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/65947| accessdate = 2007-04-15]

Eventually, the party announced that it had shortlisted Khalid and Indian bureau head Datuk K.S. Nallakarupan for its ticket. Later on 17 April 2007, it was announced that, as expected, Khalid would be the PKR nominee. Nallakarupan said that although PKR President Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had offered him the nomination, he declined in favour of Khalid. Azizah denied allegations of racial bias in the decision, stating: "We picked the candidate not on racial lines but on the basis of the most appropriate choice to be the people's voice in the state assembly". [cite news | title = Khalid Ibrahim Keadilan's Pick For Ijok| publisher = BERNAMA| date = 2007-04-17| url = http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=257358]

Independent candidates

On April 15 2007, Klang-based businessman K. Loganathan announced he would contest as an independent candidate in the by-election, citing the lack of development and progress under the previous assemblyman and his desire to serve the rural folk of Ijok as reasons. [cite news | title = Businessman To Contest As Independent In Ijok By-election| publisher = BERNAMA| date = 2007-04-15| url = http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=256891| accessdate = 2007-04-15]

By April 18 2007, rumors were rife that a plethora of independent candidates will be contesting the by-election. Independent online news daily "Malaysiakini" reported as many as four independent candidates, including Loganathan, have expressed interest to contest. [cite news | last = Kabilan| first =K. | title = Six-way battle in Ijok? (subscription required)| publisher = Malaysiakini| date = 2007-04-18| url = http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/65947| accessdate = 2007-04-20]

Nominations

On 19 April 2007, the candidates from BN and PKR filed their nominations at the Batang Berjuntai community hall, which was converted into a temporary nomination centre. Neither Loganathan nor any of the purported independent candidates appeared, and thus after the nomination period ended at 11.00 am, returning officer Haris Kasim announced that the by-election would be a straight fight between K. Parthiban of the MIC and Khalid of PKR.cite news | title = BN And PKR In Straight Fight In Ijok| publisher = BERNAMA| date = 2007-04-19| url = http://web5.bernama.com/events/ijok/news.php?id=257617]

The nomination was marred by a clash between BN and PKR supporters when their processions to the nomination centre inadvertently met. Eventually, the police intervened and separated the two groups. PKR later accused that Khairy Jamaluddin, Deputy BN Youth Chief, had been involved in provoking the fight, and also that BN Youth Chief and Education Minister Hishamuddin Hussein had thrown bottles at PKR supporters. However, no valid reports was actually made. [cite web| language = Malay| title = Tan Sri Khalid dilantik sebagai calon, penyokong dan pemimpin BN bertindak liar| publisher = Parti Keadilan Rakyat| date = 2007-04-19 | url = http://www.keadilanrakyat.org/spm/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1072&Itemid=31| accessdate = 2007-04-19]

The Prime Minister had later warned both PKR and BN supporters of their behaviour during the by-election of Ijok.

By-election results

The BN candidate, K. Parthiban, won with a majority of 1,850 votes. Parthiban secured 5,884 votes while Keadilan's Abdul Khalid Ibrahim got 4,034 votes. A total of 10,052 voters, or 81.9%, of the 12,272 eligible voters had cast their ballots, a record turnout for the constituency. In the 2004 General Elections, BN defeated PKR by 1,649 votes in the constituency.

Election box begin|
right
title=Selangor State Legislative Assembly: Ijok by-election, 2007Election box candidate
party = BN - MIC
candidate = K. Parthiban
votes = 5,884
percentage = 58.6%
change = +12.9%Election box candidate
party = PKR
candidate = Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim
votes = 4,034
percentage = 40.1%
change = +13.2%Election box majority
votes = 1,850
percentage = 18.1%
change = +12.2%Election box turnout
votes = 10,052
percentage = 81.9%
change = +7.6%

Notes and references

External links

* http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/66177