PN trounces PH in Padang Serai, BN retains Tioman

Perikatan Nasional (PN) bagged another parliamentary seat at the Padang Serai election today, in a delayed contest seen as a referendrum for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's two-week-old coalition government.

PN's Azman Nasrudin obtained 51,637 votes, winning by a majority of 16,260 against main contender Mohamad Sofee Razak of Pakatan Harapan (PH) who won 35,377.

C Sivaraj of Barisan Nasional (BN), who withdrew from the contest to give way to PH, won 2,929 votes. 

Pejuang's Hamzah Abd Rahman won 424, Warisan's Mohd Bakhri Hashim won 149 and independent candidate Sreanandha Rao won 846.

Meanwhile in Tioman, BN emerged the winner, adding another seat for the BN-PH ruling bloc in the Pahang state assembly.

BN's Mohd Johari Hussain (8,080 votes) defeated PN's Nor Idayu Hashim (7,507) by a majority of 573. 

Osman A Bakar of Pejuang won 79, independent Sulaiman Bakar won 58 and Mohd Fadzli Mohd Ramly of PH won 784.

Fadzli withdrew from the contest in order to give way to Johari, although his name remained on the ballot papers.