SPARE me the need to travel the 246km from Kuala Lumpur to Manik Urai to appease this desire to tell you a plausible story - I was born and raised in the hilly land of Kuala Krai to know enough about Manik Urai without setting foot there.

My old friend, Muhammad Abdullah, runs a Caltex station in La'loh. I bet if I were to drive off and drop by there today, I would see him... There, at the cashier's seat, punching away on his cash till.

AS campaigning draws to a close,  many party workers on both sides returned to base last night - unsure
if they had done enough to secure victory for their candidates.

By nearly all accounts, Pas is still the favourite to take home the trophy. But, even if it does, the margin will likely show that voters in Manik Urai, Kelantan, are ready to accept change in their lives. Umno workers lament that they may not have persuaded enough fencesitters while Pas campaigners are regretting their early complacence.

WHEN the campaigning started in Manik Urai, it certainly looked as if Pas was going to have a romp in their own backyard and Umno would once again leave battered and bruised. Well, the chances of Barisan Nasional winning are still not stellar and bookies are not handing out vote handicaps to the dacing yet.

HEAVEN guaranteed, Manik Urai folk now want some progress Yesterday, we wrote how Manik Urai voters are probably guaranteed a place in Heaven if their place is determined by which box they tick at elections,

Having returned Pas to power numerous times, they would be - according to Datuk Seri Nik Aziz - be guaranteed a place in Heaven by now.

So, they are looking for a bit of worldly development this time around.

WITH the situation in Ipoh returning to normal and national attention on Pakatan Rakyat's loss of power in the
State fading fast, the loose coalition of Opposition parties is trying hard to relight the flame.

Part of the objective must be to get voters in Manik Urai excited about the issue again. Pakatan supporters
are expected to make the pilgrimage this weekend and they are banking on the excitement to persuade voters
to put their faith in the Pas candidate, popular Kuala Krai fishmonger, Mohd Fauzi Abdullah.

 

FOR the past few days, the campaigning at Manik Urai has been uncharacteristically clean, at least when it comes to the candidates. It is as if two saints are jostling for position and no one wants to be caught calling the other names.

 

This has left controversial speakers like PKR's Datuk Zaid Ibrahim with a lot less pulling power than expected.

Let's start with the second part first.

One of the enduring qualities of by-elections since the last Umno General Assembly is that Barisan Nasional suffers from deep fissure within its ranks. And Opposition firepower constantly barrages the weak points and create an impression that Umno is ready to split.

THE tortoise may have won in the famous children's fable but then again, the laws of physics dictate that a body in motion tends to stay in motion, while a body that is stationary tends to grow moss.

There is still debate as to how closely the laws of politics adhere to and respect the laws of physics. But all known and respected experts from most major democracies believe that a good start usually leads to a romping victory.

AS the political parties, their candidates and a small platoon of lawyers pore over every detail of the nomination papers and prepare their objections against the other side's submission, voter sentiment in Manik Urai continues to evade easy analysis.

Parachute journalists, and there are no other type in this sleepy hollow, are still just trying to separate the wheat of real voter opinion from the chaff of ebullient party sentiment.

HIS MAGIC WAND

TERENGGANU police are looking for a disabled man believed to have outraged the modesty of a salesgirl at a clothing shop in Bukit Payong.

According to police, the girl alleged that she was molested by a disabled man while she was alone at the shop at 5pm.