The eight days of campaigning has come to an end in the Permatang Pasir by-election and the fate of BN's Rohaizat Othman and PAS' Mohd Salleh Man will be determined by the 20,000 odd voters today.

Both parties have had a tough time convincing voters of the suitability of their candidates, but BN's Rohaizat had to battle non-stop attacks on his alleged monetary misdemeanours, his disbarment and allegations of having a second-wife whom he has neglected.

permatang pasir by election 180809 rohaizat othman visit chinese community.jpg Despite the constant hammerings Rohaizat's has received, BN and Umno leaders maintain that he is a trustworthy candidate and that a vote for the party would bring more infrastructural and agricultural development to this semi-rural constituency.

These leaders have confidently expressed that BN would surely bag the constituency despite the odds stacked against their man.

However, when speaking to reporters yesterday, Umno vice-president and Permatang Pasir by-election director Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was no longer displaying his usual confidence.

"I am always confident but sometimes it increases and sometimes is decreased, but right now it is at its peak.

"But to loose is only ordinary especially since Permatang Pasir is a PAS stronghold, but if BN can reduce the majority, that will be a gracious gift from God," said Ahmad Zahid adding that it has been the toughest by-election for BN.

Even Rohaizat, who spent most of the day making visits to party booths, looked rather glum and browbeaten from spending half the time assuring the voters that he is the best choice.

Development promises wins no votes

He said that this was the first by-election that was run without promises of development projects during campaigning by the BN.

"We learnt (it) from our past experiences, announcements and implementation of projects during campaign period did not transform into votes," said Ahmad Zahid.

NONE Citing a Malay saying, Ahmad Zahid advised voters that DAP was not interested if PAS won the seat and that the party would be equally glad if PAS lost.

"Do not be fooled by their sweet talk, which is like a concoction of honey mixed with poison... for the DAP, PAS is just a nuisance (and) DAP abuses PAS like a speck of dust in the eye.

"It does not matter to DAP if PAS wins, but a loss would be a relief to them," he said, although he admitted that voters have become wiser after having to go through so many elections over the past 18 months.

NONE "In a worst case scenario, the turnout rate will be 60 percent, but the ideal is if it hit 80 percent," he said, hoping that the rainy weather and the pandemic influenza A(H1N1) will not hinder voters from casting their votes.

Meanwhile, although PAS' Salleh Man has generally had a blemish-free reputation, he too has had his share of political bashings as well.

First, the PAS candidate has had to encounter a war of perception plaguing the Islamic party which he represents over perennial issues such as the alcohol ban in Selangor and the recent demolition of an illegal pig abattor.

There were also allegations of the PAS candidate embezzling RM600,000 from his own party but this failed to affect public perception.

'One vote win still a win'

Although the by-election, which has been predicted to be definite win for PAS as it has been the party's stronghold since 1999, the party is no longer hoping for the massive majority of 5,433 votes as in the last general election.

NONE PAS election director, Mahfuz Omar, has expressed that they no longer have high hopes on retaining the previous majority based on voting patterns.

However, he stressed that even if it is by one-vote majority, it would still be a win nonetheless.

Permatang Pasir is one of three seats in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency and the sole PAS state seat in Penang that was won by Hamdan.

PAS Mohd Hamdan Abdul Rahman garnered 11,004 votes and defeated BN's Ahmad Sahar Shuib by a 5,433-vote majority in the last GE.

The Permatang Pasir constituency has 20,290 registered voters - including one postal voter.

The voters comprise 72.36 percent Malays, 25.85 percent Chinese, 1.63 percent Indian and 0.16 percent others.

The election results are expected to be announce by 8.00 pm tonight.