Voters make their intentions clear

KUALA LUMPUR: Hot seats in the election stayed true to their billing as more than 70 per cent of registered voters made their intentions known.

The Klang Valley and Kinta Valley mostly fell to the opposition.

In the Klang Valley, the Lembah Pantai seat held for three terms by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Shahrizat Abdul Jalil fell to Nurul Izzah Anwar, the daughter of Parti Keadilan Rakyat's de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

In Seputeh, DAP's Teresa Kok doubled her majority as she thrashed Barisan Nasional's Carol Chew. Kok also won the Kinrara state seat in Selangor

Kepong, Cheras and Bukit Bintang remained DAP seats as the opposition further strengthened its grip. It also made inroads in Segambut as it wrested the traditional Gerakan stronghold from the BN component party.
The BN was also dealt a blow as Malaysian Democratic Party secretary-general Wee Chee Keong, standing under the PKR banner, defeated MCA's Datuk Tew Teong Look in Wangsa Maju.

Pas made inroads in Kuala Lumpur as Datuk Lo Lo Ghazali wrested the Titiwangsa seat from Umno newcomer Datuk Aziz Jamaluddin Md Tahir.

In Klang, Charles Santiago defeated MCA stalwart Datuk Ch'ng Toh Eng.

In the Kinta Valley, the DAP maintained its grip in both the Ipoh Barat and Ipoh Timur parliamentary seats as M. Kulasegaran and Lim Kit Siang retained their respective seats for a second term.

The opposition party also won the Taiping seat, dealing a blow to People's Progressive Party president Datuk M. Kayveas.

The biggest upset saw MIC supremo Datuk Seri S. Samu Vellu lose the seat for the first time since 1974.

In Penang, Gerakan acting president, Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon lost to newcomer P. Ramasamy from the DAP in the biggest casualty among the Gerakan ranks.

In Sarawak, the Bandar Kuching seat, one of those hotly contested in the state, was retained by incumbent Chong Chieng Jen from the DAP.