PENGKALAN CHEPA, March 10 — Nomination for the Chempaka by-election opens today at 9 am, at Dewan Bitara Maktab Rendah Sains Mara here.

The process will take an hour before returning officer Ibrahim Bakri Mat Deris announces the names of candidates for the by-election on March 22, should there be a contest. 

The Chempaka seat fell vacant following the death of former Kelantan menteri besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, 84, due to prostate cancer on Feb 12.

At the 13^th general election, Nik Abdul Aziz who was also PAS’ spiritual adviser defeated Barisan Nasional candidate Wan Razman Wan Abdul Razak with a majority of 6,500 votes. 

Nik Abdul Aziz secured 12,310 votes while Wan Razman obtained 5,810 votes.

The Chempaka state constituency has 21,890 registered voters comprising 20,390 normal voters, 1,497 early voters and three absentee voters.

BN will not be contesting in the by-election to concentrate on post-flood rehabilitation in Kelantan following extraordinary floods that hit the state in December last year. — Bernama