Parti Keadilan Rakyat's losing candidate at the Ijok by-election Khalid Ibrahim pledged that he would return to the state seat to contest in the coming general election.

In the meantime, he promised to keep elected assemblyperson K Parthiban on his toes, by monitoring government expenditure through a team hired accountants.

"I have gathered a team together, consisting of specialists in accounting, architecture and economy, and we are going to check on Parthiban," said Khalid during a ceramah at PAS headquarters in Ijok last night.

Khalid said he would check on the RM36 million in projects pledged by the state government.

"I will be in Ijok in three weeks to ask Parthiban what intends to do," he said to the applause of 500-odd audience. The ceramah saw a huge turnout despite being organised in the last minute.

Also present were PAS vice-president Nasharudin Mat Isa, PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and party advisor Anwar Ibrahim, who also spoke later .

He also said that the newly tarred roads were expected to wear out soon.

"I was told that the process was carried out too quickly. When the roads become damaged, we will question Parthiban," he said.

BN's 3M

He said the government won the election by controlling the "3M: media, machinery and money."

"The BN culture of semuanya boleh can destroy us. There is no such thing as something that is unlimited. There is always a price to pay," he added.

Khalid thanked the voters and said he was merely carrying the party's "torch."

He called the defeat a "renewal" and urged party workers to "work harder."

"Our strength is not money, not material wealth, but the desire to uphold justice," he said.

Meanwhile, Anwar told malaysiakini that he would speak in detail on allegations on vote buying and phantom voters in a ceramah at PAS Gombak headquarters on Friday night.

Asked on PKR's poor performance in garnering votes from the Indian community, in particular the estate workers, Anwar blamed the ruling government.

"We were blocked by MIC party workers ... it's not that we don't want to campaign. We are barred from entering the estates," he said.

Earlier Opposition leaders paid a visit to several parts of Pekan Ijok and Batang Berjuntai to thank voters for their support. The group congregated at a seafood restaurant, where the Opposition did much of their campaigning.

Ijok: complete results