ANALYSIS Being the respective strongholds of PKR and Umno, the Permatang Pauh and Rompin by-elections were initially expected to be a dull affair.

But the electoral battles may now turn into a proxy war in the tussle between former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

It has been two weeks since Mahathir fired at all cylinders against Najib, but the spat has largely confined to verbal attacks with limited political damage...