The Ketari state by-election will see the expected straight fight between candidates from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition and DAP as nomination ended at 11am today with no other submissions.

The contest will pit lawyer Yum Ah Ha, 51, from Gerakan against quality controller Choong Siew Onn, 34, at the election which will be held on March 31.

The seat fell vacant following the death of Loke Koon Kam of Gerakan. In the 1999 general elections, Loke defeated Choong with a slim 231-vote majority, garnering 5,874 votes.

Ketari has 17,143 registered voters, of which 95 are postal votes. Chinese Malaysians comprise 53.83 percent (9,228) of the constituency, Malay Malaysians 39.12 percent (6,706) and Indian Malaysians 5.21 percent (843).

The Orang Asli comprise 1.3 percent (223), bumiputra from Sabah and Sarawak 0.21 percent (36) and others 0.33 percent (57).

Yum was accompanied to the nomination centre at Wisma Sri Bentong at about 9.25am by strong a BN contingent led by deputy premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Other senior members of the cabinet and coalition party leaders were also present, escorted by some 2,000 BN supporters carrying bunting and BN flags.

At about the same time, Choong also walked into the centre to sign his candidacy. He was also flanked by DAP leaders and several other leaders from the opposition front, Barisan Alternatif, as well as about 300 DAP supporters. Conspicuously missing were BA top leaders.

Security at Bentong district, in which Ketari is located, was tight, with the presence of some 300 Light Strike Force personnel. Police check points were also set up at various spots on the road leading into Bentong.