The Indera Kayangan by-election will signal Keadilan's impending doom in Perlis, said Barisan Nasional election deputy director Hazihani Datuk Ali.

"We are working very hard to achieve that goal. We are also very confident that BN will retain the seat with an even bigger majority," said Hazihani, who is also the state assemblywoman for Sena.

She said a resounding victory by BN will wipe out the fledgling opposition party in the state.

"Keadilan is now in dire straits. Even the party's Indera Kayangan co-director Mej (Rtd) Mohd Syariff Abd Razak has defected to Umno and is now helping the BN candidate, Oui Ah Lan," she added.

In the run-up to the Indera Kayangan by-election, some 360 Keadilan members are believed to have defected to Umno, including a group of 300 members led by its former Perlis Youth deputy chief Syed Araniri Syed Ahmad.

All set for fight

Oui, a retired school headmistress, will meet Keadilan's Khoo Yang Chong, a retired school teacher, in a straight fight on Saturday.

The by-election was called following the death of incumbent Khor Tiong Lee last month.

According to Hazihani, the BN by-election machineries set up by Perlis Mentri Besar Shahidan Kassim have put in place all the necessary steps to ensure a victory over Keadilan.

"We are more confident now after some 300 Keadilan members quit the party to join Umno. This spells doom for the party," said Hazihani, who is also the Umno Kangar woman division head.

She said even PAS is now reluctant to help Keadilan for fear of offending the Chinese Malaysian voters in Indera Kayangan.