BN supporters refused to back off, defying a rule of maintaining a 50-metre distance from PH supporters. The Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) had to step in, after supporters of both parties got too close to each other, raising the prospects of chaos.
A team of FRU personnel were deployed to control BN supporters at the front, who refused to retreat. Barricades were later put up to prevent BN supporters from moving forward any further.
Supporters from both sides shouted their support for their candidates, with the BN side shouting “Hidup BN” while PH supporters shouted “Reformasi”.
PH has nominated religious school headmaster Zawawi Ahmad Mughni of PKR, who seeks to defend the seat won by a PKR candidate at the general election on May 9.
BN has nominated Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam, a former director of the Special Affairs Department (Jasa) and former head of communications for the Finance Ministry.
Both nominees submitted their forms at the nomination centre at Dewan Besar Tanjung of the Shah Alam City Council.
Zawawi is headmaster of the Maahad Tahfiz Al Fateh in Jalan Kebun. He is the secretary of PKR’s Religious Enhancement and Understanding bureau.
The Sungai Kandis seat became vacant when assemblyman Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei of PKR died early last month from cancer. He had won the seat with 23,998 votes, against candidates from BN, PAS and Parti Rakyat Malaysia.
Polling will take place on Aug 4.
Sungai Kandis by-election: Zawawi, the man on the front line