CAMERON POLLS | A slew of PAS leaders are expected to hit the campaign trail in support of BN's candidate for the Cameron Highlands by-election Ramli Mohd Noor.

Expressing his appreciation for the assistance on Twitter, Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa said at least 15-20 PAS leaders would canvass for votes in the parliamentary constituency, where Malay-Muslims form the majority of the electorate.

“This includes spiritual leader (Hashim Jasin), president (Abdul Hadi Awang), deputy president (Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man), vice-president, Kelantan menteri besar (Ahmad Yakob), Terengganu menteri besar (Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar) and party secretary Takiyuddin Hassan.

“Unity of the ummah,” he added.

Earlier, Hadi told reporters in Terengganu that he would travel to Cameron Highlands over the weekend.

"Insya Allah (God willing), we will offer our cooperation to the opposition's candidate.

“He (Ramli) is not representing Umno, PAS or any other party, he is just using the BN symbol. Insya Allah, I will personally (join the) campaign on Sunday,” he said.

The presence of PAS leaders in Cameron Highlands could have a significant impact, as the Islamist party's supporters are touted as possible kingmakers in the Jan 26 by-election. 

In the last general election, PAS came out third after BN and Pakatan Harapan by securing 14.73 percent of the votes cast.

BN took the seat with 42.32 percent of the votes whereas Harapan garnered 39.87 percent.

Based on the May 9 results, the bulk of PAS supporters are located in Jelai - one of two state constituencies that make up the Cameron Highlands parliamentary seat.

PAS polled about double the amount of votes Pakatan Harapan did in this area, winning in three of the 12 voting districts in Jelai.

The three voting districts - the Felda settlement town of Sungai Koyan, the villages of Kampung Keledek and Kampung Bukit Kota - are adjacent to each other, forming a belt stretching from Jalan Ringlet-Sungai Koyan through the entire breadth of Jalan Sungai Koyan-Berchang.

Harapan candidate M Manogaran will be contesting for the third time in Cameron Highlands. Unlike the past, he will not be facing a candidate from MIC.

Ramli, who was the highest ranked Orang Asli police officer in the nation's history, is a local from the Semai tribe, which forms the majority among the indigenous population in Cameron Highlands.

The Orang Asli form approximately 22 percent of the electorate.

There are nine polling districts where 94 percent or more voters are from the Orang Asli community. Harapan and PAS were trounced in all nine polling districts in the last election.

The by-election is also witnessing the participation of two independents, local farmer Wong Seng Yee and Sallehudin Ab Talib.