Pendang, an unfamiliar rural town in the heart of Kedah touted as a stronghold of Muslim party PAS, will be the next political focus as the constituency prepares for the polls on July 18.

A landscape artist would find much to relish in this part of Malaysia, with miles and miles of green padi fields and sturdy hills lining narrow but well-tarred roads that seem to lead to nowhere.

But the signboards leading to Pendang are bold and clear. As one enters the district, one notices almost immediately that this is not an ordinary village of padi planters.

Almost every home nestled in the midst of these padi fields is well built. The designs are unique, some even attractive and all of them colourful. It is hard to imagine these are 'poor kampung folk' who are not interested in physical development but are more inclined to 'leave their fates in the hands of God'.

A local businessman challenges the myth that villagers are "subdued and dependent", and suffering in an undeveloped environment — a criticism often hurled at constituencies held by PAS.

Self-sufficient

"We harvest the padi from fields and fruits from our own orchards and tap rubber. We may not be economically wealthy but we are self-sufficient," says Hassan Hussin, who runs a small restaurant in the heart of Pendang.

"It really doesn't matter who the member of parliament is here. We know development will go on as funds come from the federal government," says the 40-year-old father of three.

According to Hassan, both parties — PAS and Barisan Nasional — are already gearing up for the coming Pendang parliamentary and Anak Bukit state assembly by-elections.

The Election Commission on Saturday fixed July 10 as the nomination day for the two seats which fell vacant following the death of PAS president Fadzil Noor on June 23, two weeks after he had a heart-bypass surgery at the Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur.

Hassan, who has lived in Pendang all his life, says he has never seen so many big-wigs "painting the town red" in a span of a day or two.

But since Fadzil's death, he adds, several Umno leaders including Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, former Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Junid, Umno vice-chairperson Muhammad Muhd Taib, former Umno information chief Mustapha Mustafa and minister-in-charge of Kelantan Anuar Musa have come by to visit, setting the tone for active campaigning.

Nothing to shout about

In contrast, Hassan says the presence of PAS leaders was nothing to shout about as the party often organises ceramah (political talks) at their markas (operation centre), which is located about 5km away from his shop.

"Streams of people used to attend (the political talks). We could hardly move along the road at one time but since the ban on ceramah (September last year), the crowd has been dwindling and confined to the field around the markas ," he adds.

Yet, Hassan says he is unable to say "who will win this time". And his businessman status may be threatened, he adds, if he was to declare his support for either party publicly.

These are the seventh and eighth by-elections to be held after the 1999 general election. For all the seats, except for Likas (Sabah), the death of the incumbents paved the way for fresh elections.

It began with Sanggang (Pahang) when the death of an Umno assembly representative in February 2000 sent BN into a frenzy since its eventual win was not long after Umno lost much of its Malay support to PAS and Keadilan.

Four months later, the nation saw MIC victorious in the battlefield with Keadilan in the Teluk Kemang parliamentary by-election in Negeri Sembilan.

In November that year, Lunas state assemblyperson Dr Joe Fernandez was murdered by unidentified assailants and the following by-election saw Keadilan wrest the Kedah seat from BN.

Early last year, BN's Sabah Progressive Party was tested after an election court declared the 1999 Likas state seat results null and void due to alleged phantom voters. The party managed to retain the seat.

The Indera Kayangan by-election in January this year came at the height of the MCA crisis between party president Dr Ling Liong Sik and his deputy Lim Ah Lek. Although MCA beat a Chinese Keadilan candidate, the by-election was marred by violence and intense fights between BN and the opposition.

Two months later saw Gerakan and DAP pitting against each other in Ketari (Pahang). BN pulled through with a higher majority despite a tough fight from the DAP.

But political pundits say the by-elections this time are most vital for the ruling BN which saw its dominance in Kedah — Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's home state — threatened by PAS in the 1999 election.

It is a challenge for BN to win back the Anak Bukit state seat in order to regain a two-third majority in the Kedah state assembly which it lost when Keadilan's deputy youth chief Saifuddin Nasution Ismail took over Lunas in 2000.

Acid test

The by-election will also be seen as an acid test for Umno and BN as it will be an indication of how far the political rehabilitation or reclaimed support for Umno has become a reality.

In the last general election, PAS won eight parliamentary seats and 12 state seats. According to the updated election roll, Pendang has 53,128 voters, including 170 postal voters. The Anak Bukit seat has 19,399 voters, including 20 postal voters.

Umno Pendang division head Osman Abdullah, when met in the district on Saturday, was not overly confident about victory although he was certain that all Umno and BN machineries were in place to seize the seats.

"It is a neck-to-neck contest — 55 percent for Umno, 45 for PAS. It used to be the other way around," he tells malaysiakini .

"But it is important to note that we are not taking the seats away from them (PAS) We are merely going to claim back what was ours," he adds.

Osman, 51, is four-term MP for Pendang before he lost to Fadzil in 1999. He doesn't show signs of giving up and has been visiting the area often even during Fadzil's tenure as MP.

Due to his reputation and experience as former Pendang assistant district officer, Osman is a possible Umno candidate for the coming by-election. He is a local village boy, has five children and is currently a shareholder in Kurnia, a well-renowned insurance company.

Osman claims that Fadzil's long absence from the area during his term as MP gives Umno an edge to capture Pendang this time.

"I make it a point to come here from Kuala Lumpur and service the people although I do not get paid for it," says the seasoned and jovial politician, who speaks English fairly well and has been busy entertaining telephone calls when malaysiakini met him at the Umno office.

"I tell you the truth, although these are PAS supporters, whenever these village folk need help with the government, they come to this office," he adds.

Turn to ruling party

University student Norhazlynna Abdul Aziz agrees with Osman, saying it is only practical to turn to the ruling party when "one gets stuck" in government bureaucracy.

"It doesn't matter whom we support, Umno or PAS. When we need signatures to apply for loans or enter universities, we have to get them from Umno leaders," she says.

Umno may be able to attract the people with their efficiency in solving technical problems but PAS has been luring fence sitters with promises of heaven and life after death by sometimes displaying the jarring differences between the lives of Umno and PAS members.

But Norhazlynna, who majors in translation in a local university, says she has not been influenced by either PAS or Umno's propaganda talks about Islam.

"If we are PAS members but do not do anything good for anybody we may end up in hell. But if we are Umno members and do good in our lives we will be assured a place in heaven. It is really up to God," she says.

"Both parties have politicised Islam until the distinction between good and bad is blurred. But we must see beyond these dramas and vote for a leader that is close to the heart of the people."