Bagan Pinang Assemblyman Dies, Nation Braces for 9th by-election

SEREMBAN, Sept 4 (Bernama) -- Bagan Pinang assemblyman, Azman Mohammad Noor, of Barisan Nasional (BN) died this afternoon at the Seremban Specialist Centre. He was 54.

His son Hairol Asfani, 22, said his father died of blood infection.

He leaves behind a widow Normah Zainal Abidin, 49, and five children Mohd Khusairi, 23, Hairol Asfani, 22, Norsyazila, 19, Norsyafikah, 16, and Norsyafitra, 13.

When met at the hospital, Hairol Asfani said his father was admitted to the hospital at 3.30am due to fever.

"He complained of fever but was able to walk unassisted. After the breaking of fast yesterday, his condition worsened and he was unable to walk," he said, adding that all family members were at his bedside when Azman breathed his last at about 2.30pm.

- Bernama

Azman Mohd Noor won the seat at the 12th general election in March last year by beating PAS candidate Ramli Ismail. Azman had obtained 6,430 votes against the 4,097 votes garnered by his rival.

With the seat now vacant, the nation will be bracing for a by-election in Negri Sembilan, the ninth since the general election.

In the six by-elections that it contested, Barisan had managed to just retain its state seat in Batang Ai, Sarawak.

It failed to dislodge the Pakatan Rakyat alliance in the other by-elections and boycotted one by-election in Penang for the Penanti state seat.

The most recent by-elections were in Permatang Tinggi in Penang earlier this month and in Manek Urai, Kelantan in July.

Both were won by PAS, which is part of the tripartite Parkatan alliance that also consists of the DAP and PKR.