He said although Barisan Nasional retained the seat, it did so with a smaller majority than the 4,048 vote margin at last year’s four-cornered contest.

This time, BN beat PN by just 2,949 votes. PAS candidate Kasim Samat secured 4,375 votes while independent candidate Haslihelmy DM Zulhasli received 47.

“From a 4,000-odd majority to just 2,949, Umno cannot rest easy. The votes from PH supporters were not transferred to BN as they’d expected,” he said.

Razali said despite the loss, PN had made inroads into former Umno strongholds, where PAS and Bersatu leaders were welcome to hold ceramahs and greet voters unlike before.

“Although it is an Umno and BN stronghold, we see there is no unity between PH and BN. We at Bersatu, PAS and Gerakan really made some inroads. BN cannot say they have a stronghold any more,” he said.

“Last time, we were not allowed to even have our flags flying. No one attended our ceramahs. (This time) thousands came, and that translated to votes,” he said.

Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal said the 4,375 votes won by the PAS candidate was an impressive performance considering that BN had offered “goodies” to voters and also had the government’s machinery at its disposal.

“We have made inroads with Felda voters, winning three voting districts. The future remains good for us,” he said.

BN’s Amizar Abu Adam secured 7,324 votes to come out top in a three-cornered fight in Pelangai tonight. The seat fell vacant following the death of Johari Harun in the Elmina plane crash in August. He had won the seat in the November 2022 general election.

Tonight’s win sees BN maintaining its 17 seats in the 42-seat state assembly. Pelangai has been held by BN since 1986.