PAS needs to gain a substantial swing in votes in the three Felda and one Felcra settlements of the Kerdau constituency in Pahang if it hopes to win the coming by-election, said candidate Hassanuddin Salim.

H NONE assanuddin ( left in photo ), who contested and lost the state seat by a 1,615-vote majority in the 2008 general election, said he does not think the Felda vote bank is securely under BN's belt, but admitted that the final push will be the hardest.

"I admit we face a big problem at the three Felda and one Felcra areas. From the 1,600 majority (clinched by BN), about 1,300 were from these areas," he said in an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini .

Hassanuddin, a quantity surveyor by trade, noted that the basic problem they face in getting voters to even consider the opposition is the BN's endless brainwashing, that he said has successfully convinced the kampong folk - and especially Felda and Felcra settlers - that Umno is the only government.

"From the moment the Adun (state assemblyperson Zaharuddin Abu Kassim) died, Felda officials were dispatched to stop the settlers from listening to what non-government parties had to say," he lamented.

Hassanuddin is nevertheless cautiously optimistic that given enough effort from the opposition, PAS could gain greater support from the settlers.

"We must correct this dogma (of Umno being the government). They (the voters) have the will (to change), but maybe they are afraid, due to pressure from the government."

Pakatan win grave sign for Najib

Hassanuddin pointed out that a victory for PAS, even if admittedly it is a long shot, would be a grave sign for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, whose home state is Pahang.

Taking Kerdau's 2008 results as a reference, the father of seven said a win for PAS would be a strong indication that Pahang - long seen as a BN stronghold - is ripe for the taking.

azlan In 2008, Hassanuddin received 37 percent of the votes, or 2,520 out of 6,777 total votes cast.

The PAS candidate said a win in Kerdau would be able to influence at least 19 other state seats in Pahang, where votes for losing Pakatan Rakyat candidates hovered around 40 percent.

"If we win this, then Najib better get ready to vacate his office," he quipped.

Should he actually win this contest, Hassanuddin promised that he will do all he can to look into critical issues faced by the voters, such as land ownership, as well as education and increasing political awareness.

The Kerdau by-election was called earlier this month after the Umno incumbent passed away from illness.

Polling day has been set for March 6, simultaneously with the Merlimau by-election in Malacca.