Now In Vacancy: Kuala Terengganu

The Deputy Education Minister dead after a game of badminton?

See the news piece below:

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Education Minister Datuk Razali Ismail died at the Aminuddin Baki Institute in Genting Highlands at about 6.30pm Friday.

This was confirmed by Education director-general Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom when contacted by Bernama today.

It is believed that Razali, 59, who is the MP for Kuala Terengganu, collapsed while playing badminton at the institute.

Alimuddin said the body would be taken to Hospital Bentong, Pahang.

Razali leaves a wife, Datin Nooraini Lob Yusoff, and five children.

A staff of the institute said Razali had been playing badminton with several staff members when he collapsed.

"He did not have any specific function there. He had come for recreation," he said.

Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, when contacted, said Razali’s death was a great loss to the ministry.

"I’m deeply saddened. It’s a great loss," he said in a text message.

Hishammuddin said he was at the institute and was engaged with the funeral arrangements.

Anyhow, Kuala Terengganu seat is vacant and a by-election must be held in the next 60 days. Initial intelligence reveals that BN only had a 50-50 chance of winning that seat. At the general elections, Razali was facing stiff competition against Mat Sabu from PAS. So the only possible solution for them is to put in a nold lady as an independent candidate hoping to take away some votes so that. That worked out well as Maimun Yusuf polled 685 votes, enabling Razali to win by 628. Were Maimun did not compete, Mat Sabu could have won by a tiny margin of 57 votes.

Barisan seats are now reduced to a possible 136. The coalition now has only 138. The other 2 possible seats would be this one and the other one in Sabah where Kurup's seat is now declared vacant following the null and void order by the court.

I met Mat Sabu at Maju Curry house that day and I simply said "Uncle Mat - you should be the next Home Minister". Well, chances are I believed that Mat Sabu can contest that seat again and should he wins, becomes MP and when Pakatan takes over, - if true- then he could be the next Home Minister.