breaking news The Barisan Nasional coalition has captured the Pengkalan Pasir state seat with a narrow majority of 129 votes, effectively putting a question mark on the political future of the ruling PAS government in Kelantan.

However, PAS has called for a recount of the votes in the crucial by-election as the winning margin falls below the 2 percent mark. At 9.25pm, returning officer Abdul Halim Ahmad announced that the recount would not be done immediately but tomorrow at 10am.

He said video cameras would be installed in the counting room to ensure no foul play.

According to the unofficial results, BN candidate Hanafi Mamat garnered 7,419 votes, beating PAS' Hanifa Ahmad (7,290 votes) and independent candidate Ibrahim Ali (414 votes). There were 160 spoilt votes.

The result was greeted by shouts of joy from thousands of BN supporters and disappointment from their rivals who had gathered at the tallying centre in Sek Men Keb Sultan Ibrahim in Pasir Mas.

The expected victory now leaves PAS with only a single seat majority in the 45-seat state assembly, with PAS holding 23 seats while Umno has 22 seats.

The contest has been touted as a 'golden opportunity' for BN to reclaim the state which has been under PAS control since 1990.

According to insiders, Umno - the key partner in the BN coalition - has won a significant number of votes from the 886 Chinese voters and the 250-odd postal voters.

In the 2004 general election, Hanafi lost to PAS candidate Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Jaafar by a mere 56 votes. The by-election was called following the incumbent's death on Oct 31.

Possible defection?

Polling ended at 5pm and the voter turn-out was a high 83.04 percent compared to the general election, which was at 77.6 percent. This is an increase of 5.4 percent.

There are a total of 18,411 registered electors in the predominantly Malay constituency.

BN leaders said the victory clearly showed that the people of Kelantan have lost faith in PAS' governance and a testimony to their desire to see development in the state.

Kelantan Umno chief Annuar Musa hailed the BN victory to the hard work of all in the BN coalition, from the prime minister down to the party workers on the ground.

"It was a collective effort from all in the BN and we must thank all the component parties who came to help ensure this victory in Pengkalan Pasir," he added.

PAS attributed its loss to the postal voters, saying that without the 216 votes garnered by the BN, it would have retained the seat. PAS only obtained 15 postal votes.

Observers believe that the defeat will increase the pressure on PAS to dissolve the state assembly and call for a state election.

The Islamic party will now be forced to be on the lookout for possible defection by any of its 23 state assembly representatives.

Meanwhile, PAS claimed that the by-election was marred by the presence of some 3,000 phantom voters, a charge which has been denied by both BN and the Election Commission.