2024 Nenggiri by-election explained

Election Name:2024 Nenggiri by-election
Country:Kelantan
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2023 Kelantan state election
Previous Year:2023
Next Year:Next
Seats For Election:N43 Nenggiri seat in the
Kelantan State Legislative Assembly
Election Date:17 August 2024
Turnout:73.88% 12.79 pp
Image1: BN
Candidate1:Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani
Color1:000080
Party1:UMNO
Alliance1:BN
Popular Vote1:9,091
Percentage1:61.35%
Candidate2:Mohd Rizwadi Ismail
Party2:BERSATU
Alliance2:PN
Color2:031e61
Popular Vote2:5,739
Percentage2:38.65%
Nenggiri assemblyman
Before Election:Mohd Azizi Abu Naim
Before Party:Independent
After Election:Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani
After Party:Barisan Nasional (UMNO)

The 2024 Nenggiri by-election was held on 17 August 2024 for the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly seat of Nenggiri. The by-election was called following the disqualification of the incumbent, Mohd Azizi Abu Naim, on 19 June 2024 due to his support for the Anwar Ibrahim government.[1] [2] [3] Mohd Azizi had served as a Member of the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly for Nenggiri since 2023, and also as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Gua Musang.

In this by-election, Barisan Nasional's Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani defeated Perikatan Nasional's Mohd Rizwadi Ismail by a majority of 3,352 votes. This marked the first by-election since the 2022 Malaysian general election where a seat flipped to another party.[4] [5]

Background

Mohd Azizi Abu Naim was first elected to the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly seat of Nenggiri in the 2023 Kelantan state election. Prior to this, he contested and won the federal seat of Gua Musang in the 2022 Malaysian general election, defeating longtime incumbent Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah of Barisan Nasional (BN). He contested under the ticket of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU), a component party of Perikatan Nasional (PN). On 7 November 2023, Mohd Azizi declared his support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's government.[6] As a result of violating the party's constitution, BERSATU revoked the memberships of Mohd Azizi and five other politicians who also declared their support for Anwar. PN sought to vacate the seats of these six politicians.[7]

The seat of Nenggiri was declared vacant by the Speaker of the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly, Mohd Amar Abdullah, on 19 June 2024, making it the first seat to be declared vacant following the defections.[8]

Nomination

Mohd Azizi announced that he would not contest in the election, paving the way for others to take over the seat.[9] On 11 July 2024, BN, expected to represent the state opposition and the federal government, confirmed that it would nominate a candidate to contest in the election.[10] On 18 July 2024, BN nominated Kelantan United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) youth chief Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani as its candidate.[11] On 29 July 2024, PN nominated former Gua Musang PAS deputy youth chief Mohd Rizwadi Ismail as its candidate. Rizwadi was previously a member of PAS before joining BERSATU.[12] [13]

On nomination day, it was confirmed that there would be a straight fight between Azmawi of BN and Rizwadi of PN after nominations closed. As in the 2022 Malaysian general election in Kelantan and the 2023 Kelantan state election, PN decided to use PAS' name and logo for its candidate, regardless of the candidate's party affiliation.[14]

Timeline

The key dates are listed below.

DateEvent
28 June 2024Issue of the Writ of Election
3 August 2024Nomination Day
3–16 August 2024Campaigning Period
13–16 August 2024Early polling day for postal and overseas voters
17 August 2024Polling Day

Results

BN won 17 out of 20 polling districts, gaining back Renok, Perasu, Limau Kasturi, Kuala Sungai and other 6 polling districts. (BN only won 7 polling districts in state election.)

PAS only won at 3 polling districts, Pasir Tumboh, Ladang SEDC and Kesedar Limau Kasturi.

BN won all aboriginal polling districts: Kuala Sungai, Tohoi, Sungai Puian, Sungai Jenera, Simpor and Sungai Wias.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kelantan declares Nenggiri seat as vacant. 19 June 2024. 19 June 2024. . en.
  2. Web site: Kelantan Speaker declares vacancy in Nenggiri seat held by rogue Bersatu man who declared support for PM Anwar. Malay Mail. en. 19 June 2024. 19 June 2024.
  3. Web site: Kelantan Speaker declares rogue Bersatu rep's Nenggiri state seat vacant. The Star. en. 19 June 2024. 19 June 2024.
  4. Web site: In blow to PAS, BN scores massive win to take back Nenggiri. Malay Mail. en. 17 August 2024. 17 August 2024.
  5. Web site: Official: Barisan wins Nenggiri by 3,352 vote majority, says EC. The Star. en. 17 August 2024. 17 August 2024.
  6. News: Gua Musang MP Azizi becomes latest Bersatu member to declare support for Anwar. New Straits Times. 7 November 2023. 19 June 2024.
  7. News: Bersatu says six rogue MPs immediately sacked today. Malay Mail. 12 June 2024. 19 June 2024.
  8. News: Bersatu man’s Nenggiri seat declared vacant. Free Malaysia Today. 19 June 2024. 19 June 2024.
  9. Web site: Former Nenggiri assemblyman Mohd Azizi steps aside for unity govt candidates in upcoming by-election. 30 June 2024. 15 July 2024. . en.
  10. Web site: BN to contest Nenggiri by-election, unity govt secretariat confirms. 11 July 2024. 15 July 2024. Free Malaysia Today. en.
  11. Web site: PRK Nenggiri: Mohd Azmawi diumum calon BN. 18 July 2024. 29 July 2024. Sinar Harian. ms.
  12. Web site: PN names ex-PAS man for Nenggiri by-election. 29 July 2024. 29 July 2024. Free Malaysia Today. en.
  13. Web site: PRK Nenggiri: Bekas timbalan Ketua Pemuda PAS Gua Musang diumum calon BERSATU. 29 July 2024. 29 July 2024. Berita Harian. ms.
  14. Web site: . Nenggiri by-election a straight fight between BN, PAS . thesun.my . 8 August 2024 . en-MY . 3 August 2024.