TV PAKATAN RAKYAT

In Bukit Gantang, a large crowd of about 20,000 PAS supporters had gathered at the nomination centre at Wisma Perbandaran Taiping. The whole place is a sea of green flags - the colour of PAS.

PAS candidate Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin arrived at the nomination centre at 8.40am, accompanied by his wife and several party leaders. State legal assembly speaker V Sivakumar is also present.

8.40am: Nominations for the Batang Ai, Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau by-elections began promptly at 8am today.

9.15am: In Bukit Gantang, BN candidate Ismail Saffian enters the nomination centre. Spotted were newly-minted Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin and vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. BN entourage arrives at the nomination centre at 9.05am. Some 10,000 BN supporters are present.

9.15am: In Bukit Gantang, Mohd Nizar files his nomination papers, followed by Ismail. An independent candidate has also arrived. Election Commission chair Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof is also present.

9.30am: In Bukit Gantang, independent candidate Kamarul Ramizu Idris (right), 42, files his nomination papers.

The businessman and father of seven, who hails from Taiping, told reporters: "Race does not matter, what matters is that we are united. Unity does not see race."

9.42am: In Bukit Gantang, Umno's new Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin is seen shaking hands with PAS supporters and is jeered by the crowd.

9.50am: In Bukit Gantang, eyewitnesses claim that the Pakatan crowd is winning the slogan war with their continuous shouts of corruption and reformasi. Scores of flags have been raised and the supporters are also doing the Mexican wave.

10am: NOMINATIONS CLOSE. OBJECTION PERIOD (10 to 11am)

10.15am: In Bukit Gantang, the Pakatan crowd is shouting Tangkap Najib'. However the BN crowd is rather subdued. The BN crowd is also standing right under the hot sun while the Pakatan people have shaded to protect them.