Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau by-elections on April 7th

As expected, the Bukit Gantang parliamentary and Bukit Selambau state by-elections would be held simultaneously, on 7th April 2009. Nomination day would be on March 29th 2009.

Theoritically and analytically, going by the current political scenario, BN could not afford to face the by-elections on two different dates.

Both seats were won by PR in the previous general election. Should the by-elections are conducted on two separate days (regardless of which one is conducted first), a win by PR in the 1st would give a moral boost to PR (and a huge setback for BN) and set the stage for even bigger win in the 2nd by-election .

Although we can argue the chance is still 50-50, the BN could not take any chance and let that happen. So, the strategy is to conduct two by-elections simultaneously to minimize that impact.

Whether or not the Election Commission was influenced by this theory (hence BN) in deciding the date is un-known. Whatever the reasons, PR is looking forward to these two by-elections to prove to the whole world that their winning in the previous general election is due to real support from the people and not by chance.

BN of course will do anything to wrestle these two seats and a win in any of these two by-elections will give them a major boost.