PAS has won the Permatang Pasir state seat by-election in Penang today with a majority of 4,662 votes.

The majority however had decreased by more than 700 votes since the last general election which saw the party winning by 5,433 votes.

The Islamic party claimed that its 52-year-old candidate Mohd Salleh polled 9,712 votes while BN's Mohd Rohaizat Othman, 38, garnered 5,050.

Voter turnout had also decreased this time around which the Election Commission chief Abdul Aziz Yusof blamed on the A(H1N1) outbreak.



The by-election in the heart of Anwar Ibrahim's parliamentary stronghold of Permatang Pauh was held following the death of PAS state assemblyperson Mohd Hamdan Abd Rahman on July 31.

The EC is expected to announce the official result at 8pm.

This is the eighth by-election since the March 8 polls last year.

With this victory, Pakatan Rakyat has taken seven with BN only emerging victorious in Sarawak's Batang Ai contest.