Technically, nomination day in two weeks for the Hulu Selangor by-election will mark the start of campaigning.

In reality, the two main political camps - Pakatan Rakyat and BN - are already off the mark in their bid to secure the parliamentary seat.

The Selangor government has mobilised its resources extensively to be sure of pole position as the race starts.

Several officials from the menteri besar’s office are camping in the constituency. Some exco members are said to be mulling a move to set up temporary offices to save travel time.

Even the weekly exco meeting, held on Wednesdays in Shah Alam, may be shifted to Hulu Selangor for the time being.

Once nominations are filed on April 17, the coalition will stop acting as the state government and swing into action as a political entity.

NONE DAP Kampung Tunku state assemblyperson Lau Weng San (left ) confirmed to Malaysiakini that the state government will play an important role before nomination day.

The political parties will then start campaigning, while government servants will play no further role, he said.

PKR election director Fuziah Salleh had earlier made a commitment that the party would not abuse state-owned resources in the campaign.

However Malaysiakini has learnt that Pakatan is aggressively engaging voters through activities and meet-the-people sessions organised by state agencies.

Allocations and other forms of ‘sweeteners’ - including land titles and financial aid - have been distributed by Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim and state exco members via state government departments. However, it was claimed that voters had applied for such assistance earlier.

Pakatan’s argument is that state government programmes cannot be described as campaigning, so long as campaign material is not distributed and there is no fishing for votes.

Sitting to be shortened?

In a related development, the state assembly sitting is likely to be shortened to allow the assemblypersons to focus on the by-election campaign.

Nine days - from April 12 - have been allocated, but speculation is rife that the sitting will be concluded before April 17.

NONE However, Selangor speaker Teng Chang Khim ( right ) said the duration depends on the executive.

"If they have fewer Bills to pass, the duration will be reduced," he said when contacted today.

He added that he has yet to be informed about the government matters that will be raised during the sitting.

Nonetheless, the House will sit for at least two days as the Selangor sultan will deliver the royal address. The representatives will then debate the motion of thanks.