The rustic district of Hulu Selangor is normally quiet, frequented by nature lovers and thrill seekers revelling in the outdoor adventures of its roaring rapids and alluring waterfalls.

pkr mp hulu selangor zainal abidin ahmad But the unfortunate death of its parliamentary representative Zainal Abidin Ahmad ( right ) of PKR, has struck the once-sleepy town like a thunderbolt, igniting it into a fit of frenzy.

While it is common for by-elections to disrupt day-to-day routines, in this particular case the stakes are much higher for both the ruling coalition and the opposition alliance.

For Barisan Nasional, this is their chance to wrest back its former glory and MIC in particular, to prove its relevance, as the representatives of the Indian community.

For Pakatan Rakyat, the polls will be a reflection of its two-year reign in Selangor, that all is well within the alliance, despite the steady stream of defections.

Both sides have set their sights on Hulu Selangor, dispatching their top guns to bombard the area with the heavy artillery of election rhetoric, after the death of 71-year-old Zainal Abidin, who succumbed to brain cancer last week.

pkr gathering in hulu selangor 260310 crowd 02 Despite the initial truce at the parliamentarian's funeral , all hell broke loose immediately after, with Pakatan making its debut on the ground with its 'Save Malaysia' campaign and BN's components squabbling over who to field as its candidate.

Holiday escape for city-dwellers

Smack at the point where the tree borders of Selangor, Perak and Pahang meet, Hulu Selangor is the largest of the nine Selangor parliamentary districts.

Largely littered with cowboy towns and sleepy hollows, it once primarily served as the gateway to the idyllic resort city of Fraser's Hill in Pahang, a holiday retreat since the colonial days, en route to Ipoh, Perak.

palm oil plantation 111005 Most areas in the district still hark back to the days of British Malaya, teeming with rubber estates, oil palm plantations, paddy fields and vegetable farms.

The area's other main income source mainly lies in the interior, where light and heavy industrial facilities including local carmaker Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua), and furniture factories, are located.

According to a census done in 2005, there are nearly 180,000 inhabitants in Hulu Selangor, with 58,533 registered as voters. Most are employed in plantations and factories, while some are farmers. There is also a large number working in Kuala Lumpur who commute daily to the capital city.

Prominent tourist destinations are spread throughout the three state assembly seats that fall under Hulu Selangor namely, Hulu Bernam, Kuala Kubu Bharu and Batang Kali.

sungai selangor 070306 Located about 60km from the metropolitan city of Kuala Lumpur, the Chilling Waterfall and whitewater rafting down Sungai Selangor ( left ) are typical nature escapes for tired city-dwellers.

The areas is also known gastronomically for Tat Bengkulu , a traditionally delicacy originally from Bengkahulu in Sumatra, Indonesia, specifically found in the town of Sungai Cho.

Nearby Ulu Yam is renowned its lor mee (noodles in thick soy gravy) as well as relaxing natural hot water springs and multi-stage waterfalls.

Although, comparatively less busy and crowded then neighbouring Rawang, its inhabitants are generally content with their small town lifestyle.

Children still walk and cycle to school and the elderly populate the kopitiams (coffee shops) nestled in colonial shop houses amidst neighbourhood sundry shops and the odd Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet, the lone ambassador of progress.

Kuala Kubu Bharu (KKB) is expected to be the base camp for competing parties as budget hotels and home-stay abodes are plentiful in the area.

The 1883 tragedy

While Hulu Selangor appears laidback and quiet, it is no stranger to misfortune, as its central township of KKB took its name from the aftermath of the great flood of 1883.

Initially there was a town called Kuala Kubu, which was destroyed by a massive flood which ensued after a dam burst near the town and left it beyond repair.

The old town, which has since been renamed Ampang Pecah, Malay for broken dam, was abandoned when the British colonial government opted to construct a new township nearby and named it Kuala Kubu Bharu (New Kuala Kubu).

pkr gathering in hulu selangor 260310 anwar The Election Commission's (EC) announcement later today is set to flag off the race for the parliamentary seat and set the stage for its attendant election fanfare and paraphernalia.

The racial breakdown of the voters are: 53.9 percent Malay, 26.7 percent Chinese, 19 percent Indians, 0.4 percent other races.