KUALA KRAI: After six days of campaigning, there is no one brave enough to predict the position and sentiments of the 12,293 voters in Manik Urai.

In the critical phase of the state assembly by-election both the Barisan Nasional and PAS have doubled their efforts to win votes, especially of the fench-sitters.

"The fench-sitters are our target. Whosoever can win them will be the victor," said the Kelantan PAS election director Abdul Fattah Harun when contacted here.

It is no surprise that the PAS party machinery is working hard to hang on to the seat. If the BN is accused of using government agencies to win votes, PAS is also guilty of using mosques in their campaign.

Last night a veteran reporter from Kedah was shocked when he heard a sermon that was political in nature at the Fridays prayers in Masjid Laloh.

Three days ago Deptuy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when speaking in Manik Urai Lama had challenged PAS to prove that UMNO had not championed Islam and did nothing to propogate Islam.
The Manik Urai seat fell vacant after Pas' Ismail Yaakob died of a heart attack on May 22.

In the last stages of the campaign PAS is not taking lightly the challenge by the BN candidate, Tuan Aziz Tuan Mat, 39, the Kuala Krai UMNO Youth chief and a former Kesedar officer.

Yesterday, many fish-industry folks were brought to Laloh to voice their resentment towards the BN that had allegedly insulted the PAS candidate Mohd Fauzi Abdullah, 50, the Kuala Krai PAS treasurer, for being a mere fish wholesaler.

According to Tuan Aziz he had met 50 percent of the voters and according to news reports Mohd Fauzi had met 70 percent of the voters in Manik Urai.

What is sure is that both candidates are focussing on areas like Chuchoh Puteri, Laloh, Manik Urai Lama and Manik Urai Baru where it is believed there are many fench-sitters.

Chuchoh Puteri, for example, has been visited by the heavyweights like Nik Abdul Aziz, PKR advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Husam Musa, a Kelantan exco member.

The area also saw Minister of Information Communication and Culture Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim and Risda chairman, Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik visiting.

For political analyst Prof Dr Ahmad Atory Hussein the last two days were a critical period for BN and Pas.

"Beginning today both parties need to be careful with their strategies for voter swing towards them," he said. (By NURULHUDA CHE DAS/Bernama)