Rompin by-election: It's veteran versus youth

Nazri and Hasan pose for photographers at the nomination centre

ROMPIN: The Rompin parliamentary by-election will be a straight fight between Barisan Nasional and PAS after the nomination papers of an independent candidate was rejected.

The nomination papers of Barisan's Datuk Hasan Arifin, a former deputy mentri besar and two-term assemblyman, and Pahang PAS Youth chief Nazri Ahmad were accepted by Returning Officer Datuk Fadzilla Haji Salleh who made the announcement at 10.30am at the Dewan Jubli Perak Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah.

There was commotion when the papers of independent candidate Mohd Shukri Mohd Ramli was rejected.

"My nomination was rejected because I can get support from the people. I am confident that I can get 5,000 votes. They are afraid I will reduce their majority," Mohd Shukri told reporters before being away by police.

The Rompin parliamentary seat fell vacant after incumbent Tan Sri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis was killed in a helicopter crash along with five others on April 4 near Semenyih. He held the seat for 23 years. 

In the 2013 general election, Jamaluddin retained the seat by beating former Wanita PAS chief Nuridah Mohd Salleh with a majority of 15,114 votes.

Polling day for the by-election is on May 5 with early voting taking place on April 30.

The constituency has 53,294 registered voters, comprising 52,744 ordinary voters, 545 early voters and five absentee voters.