Eighteen cabinet ministers won, while four others lost when the results of the 13th general election was announced by the Election Commission (EC) yesterday.

Among the major casualties were transport minister Kong Cho Ha, federal territories and urban wellbeing minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, housing and local government minister Chor Chee Heung and minister of plantation industries and commodities Benard Giluk Dompok.

BN head Najib Abdul Razak, who retained the Pekan parliamentary seat, led the winning team with his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin, who took the Pagoh seat after defeating PAS candidate Mohamad Rozali Jamil with a 12,842-vote majority.

Kong, who is the secretary-general of MCA, failed to defend the Lumut parliamentary seat in Perak which he had won in 2008, after losing to PKR candidate Mohamad Imran Abd Hamid by a 8,168-vote deficit.

Meanwhile, in a three-corner fight involving Raja Nong Chik (first-timer), incumbent Nurul Izzah Anwar (PKR) and Rusli Baba (Independent) for the Lembah Pantai parliamentary seat in Kuala Lumpur, Nurul won by a 1,847-vote majority.

The Alor Star parliamentary seat in Kedah saw a four-corner fight involving Chor as the incumbent, Gooi Hsiao-Leung (PKR), Abdul Fisol Mohd Isa (Berjasa) and Jawahar Raja Abdul Wahid (Bersama).

However, the MCA vice-president was defeated by the PKR candidate with a majority of 1,873 votes.

Dompok, who is the United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation president, lost to PKR candidate Iginatius Dorell Leiking by 10,216 votes.

Probably one of the most interesting contests in the GE13 was the win by MIC president G Palanivel, who was minister in the Prime Minister's Department, for the Cameron Highlands parliamentary seat in Pahang.

Palanivel who won by only 462 votes, faced a five-corner fight in Cameron Highlands comprising Mohd Shokri Mahmood (Berjasa), Manogaran Marimuthu (DAP), Kisho Kumar Kathirveloo (Independent) and Alagu Thangarajoo (Independent).

Caretaker Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai who contested the Bentong seat was involved in a close fight before emerging victorious to defend his seat.

Caretaker ministers who won:

1. Najib Abdul Razak (Pekan)

2. Muhyiddin Yassin (Pagoh)

3. G Palanivel (Cameron Highlands)

4. Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz (Padang Rengas)

5. Jamil Khir Baharom (Jerai)

6. Hishammuddin Hussein (Sembrong)

7. Shafie Apdal (Semporna)

8. Mustapa Mohamed (Jeli)

9. Ahmad Shabery Cheek (Kemaman)

10. Dr S Subramaniam (Segamat)

11. Ismail Sabri Yaakob (Bera)

12. Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah (Tambun)

13. Anifah Aman (Kimanis)

14. Douglas Uggah Embas (Betong)

15. Noh Omar (Tanjung Karang)

16. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (Bagan Datoh)

17. Shaziman Abu Mansor (Tampin)

18. Liow Tiong Lai (Bentong)

- Bernama