ROMPIN: The main road outside the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah nomination centre here was a sea of blue and green today morning as a huge number of BN and Pas supporters turned up in force to show their support for their candidates. Some 5,000 BN supporters, who came dressed the party's official blue colour, sang the BN party song and chanted the battle cry while their Pas counterparts waved the party's flag and occasionally uttered shouts of "takbir".
When the nomination centre opened at 9am, the area was swarmed by at least 100 supporters from both parties, who were later seated under tents in a designated area. Despite the scorching heat, supporters who were waiting outside the nomination centre kept themselves busy by singing songs and both sides were kept at a distance by the police.
Pas candidate Nazri Ahmad entered the nomination centre at 9.03am to file his papers while BN's Datuk Hasan Arifin arrived two minutes later.
BN leaders including Deputy Prime Minister and BN deputy chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Yassin were present while the opposition were led by Pas secretary-general Mustafa Ali and PKR vice-president Tian Chua.
Returning officer Datuk Fadzilla Salleh then announced that the by election is a straight contest between Hasan and Nazri.
The by-election is being held following the death of the BN.