Something fishy in Bukit Selambau.. some may say that it shows how truly democratic we are BUT i would like to differ, rather it shows how immature our so-called democracy is.. Why?? Our so-called 'politicians' are not really want to win and serve the rakyat BUT they're chasing personal glory, and MOTIVE behind it is very very very mysterious!!!!!! They should respect their party's decision on the candidacy.. stubborn politicians!!! Something really fishy!!!!
GOAL: To divide the votes.. WHOSE GOAL: Sendri mo fikir....
PETALING JAYA: Malaysians will see a triple-play by-election day on April 7, with everything from a straight fight in one constituency to an all-out fray in another.
In TAIPING, the Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election will see a three-cornered fight among the Barisan Nasional, PAS from the Pakatan Rakyat alliance and an independent candidate.
Barisan’s Ismail Saffian, 49, will face former Perak mentri besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, 52, of PAS and Kamarul Ramizu Idris, 42.
Returning officer Datuk Mahmod Morsidi announced the candidates after nominations closed at 11am Sunday at the Taiping Town Hall.
There were three objections but all were rejected.
Mohammad Nizar was the first to arrive at the nomination centre at 8.45am, followed by Ismail at 9am and Kamarul at 9.20am.
Ismail was accompanied by Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, current Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and thousands of supporters; while Mohammad Nizar was accompanied by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa and Perak state assembly speaker V. Sivakumar and their supporters.
Ismail, of Kampung Kubu, Bukit Gantang, is the former Bukit Gantang Umno division information chief, while Mohammad Nizar, of Kampung Air Hitam Labu, Kampar, is Perak PAS deputy commissioner.
The Bukit Gantang seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent Roslan Shaharom of PAS on Feb 9.
Record broken
In SUNGAI PETANI, the Bukit Selambau state by-election created a record for having the most number of candidates -- 15 altogether, with 13 of them independents.
Returning officer Datuk Abdullah Mat Akhir announced that all 15 candidates who submitted their nomination papers qualified to contest in the by-election.
Among the huge pool of independents are Barisan Nasional candidate S. Ganesan and PKR’s S. Manikumar.
The independent candidates are R. Loganathan, Tan Hock Huat, Mohd Radhi Mat Lazim, Mohd Fadzli Wahab, Abdul Rahim Abu, L. Sarala, A. Jayagopal, S. Moganakumar, Khamis Awang, Husaini Yaacob, Venason Michael, Mejar (Rtd) Anuar Abdul Hamid and T. Chandrarajan.
Abdullah said he received several objections against some of the candidates but rejected them as they did not involve technical matters.
In TAIPING, Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof confirmed that the number of candidates in Bukit Selambau was the highest ever in the country’s election history.
“The previous record was in Sabah involving eight candidates,” he said.
He was not sure, however, whether the record in Sabah was set in a state election, a by-election or a general election.
Asked what could be the reason for the crowded contest, he said, “I don’t know. The only reason I could think of is because in the previous election, an independent candidate ended up being appointed as executive council member.”
“This is a democratic country, that is their choice, we don’t stop them,” he said.
Independent candidate V. Arumugam won the seat in the 12th general election and later joined PKR and appointed state executive councillor. He resigned earlier this year.
Straight fight
In LUBOK ANTU, the Batang Ai state by-election will see a straight fight between Barisan newcomer Malcom Mussem Lamoh, 49, and face PKR’s Jawah Gerang, 55, a five-term former Lubok Antu Member of Parliament.
Returning officer Nelson Mujah Girie made the announcement at the nomination centre at the Lubok Antu Sports complex here after the objection period ended at 11am Sunday.
Jawah was the first to submit his nomination papers when the centre opened at 9am.
He was accompanied by his seconder Lepang Gerang and proposer Unggeh Babang, filing his papers at 9.03am.
Mussem filed his papers at 9.15am accompanied by his proposer, Jampi Tutong and seconder, Gerang Juben.
Sarawak Barisan chairman Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud led the coalition march to the nomination centre together with Barisan director of operations Datuk Seri Dr James Masing and more than 5,000 people.
Also with them were newly elected Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Parti Bersatu Sabah president Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan and former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak.
The PKR candidate, meanwhile, was accompanied by 3,000 supporters led by Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
The weather was fine and police helicopters were seen hovering over the area.
Party supporters started converging on the area near the nomination centre as early as 6am.
The 38km road leading to this rural border bazaar from the junction of the Sri Aman-Miri trunk road was jammed with vehicles, ferrying party supporters, election workers and dignitaries while police personnel facilitate traffic and ensure order.
About 850 policemen will be mobilised from today as part of security measures.
Due to the remoteness of Batang Ai, 10 police boats, three helicopters and two light aircraft will also be deployed, with the Election Commission expected to spend RM400,000 to run the by-election.
About 40% of the 22,270 Batang Ai residents from 238 longhouses and 15 longhouses rely on boats as the mode of transport.
There are 8,600 registered voters, comprising 95% Ibans, in the 1,341 sq km constituency where 24 polling centres will be opened on polling day.
The seat fell vacant following the death of four-term Barisan incumbent Datuk Dublin Unting Ingkot, who was Sarawak Agriculture and Sports Assistant Minister and Parti Rakyat Sarawak vice-president, on Feb 24.
Batang Ai is one of two state constituencies under the Lubok Antu parliamentary seat. The other is Engkilili. -- Bernama
EARLIER UPDATES
Noon: Bukit Selambau returning officer Datuk Abdullah Mat Akhir said there were nine objections but all were rejected.
11:30am: Nomination papers of all the 15 candidates for the Bukit Selambau by-election were accepted.
11:25am: Bukit Gantang returning officer Datuk Mahmod Morsidi said three objections received, no candidate rejected. So the three-cornered fight is on between Ismail Safian (BN-Umno), former Perak mentri besar Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin (PKR-PAS) and independent Kamarul Ramizu.
11:15am: Batang Ai returning officer Nelson Mujah said two objections were raised but rejected. He declares both candidates eligible. It’s a two-way fight between Barisan’s Malcolm Mussen Lamoh and PKR’s Jawah Gerang.
11am: Small scuffle in front of Taiping Municipal Council building as Barisan supporters throw objects at national DAP chairman Karpal Singh’s car; police manage to keep situation under control.
10:15am: Altogether 15 candidates have filed nomination papers for the Bukit Selambau by-election in Sungai Lalang. Of the number, 13 are independent candidates and one each from Barisan Nasional (Datuk S. Ganesan) and PKR ( S. Manikumar)
Two new independent candidates joined in the fray. They are Radzi Md Lazim, 54, and Khamis Awang, 32.
The others are L. Sarala, T. Chandrarajan, R. Loganathan, A. Jayagopal, S. Moganakumar, Vaneson Michael, Tan Hock Huat, Mohd Fazil Abdul Wahab, Anuar Abdul Hamid, Husaini Yaacob, and Abdul Rahim Abu.
10:10am: It’s a three-cornered fight for Bukit Gantang between Ismail Safian (BN-Umno), former Perak mentri besar Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin (PKR-PAS) and independent Kamarul Ramizu.
10:01am: Nominations close and objection period now until 11am.
10am: Batang Ai returning officer Nelson Mujah declares nominations closed. It’s a two-way fight between Barisan’s Malcolm Mussen Lamoh and PKR’s Jawah Gerang. Independent Johnny Chua decided not to contest, saying he supports PKR’s vision.
9:30am: In Bukit Gantang, Barisan candidate Ismail Safian and PKR candidate Mohd Nizar submit their nomination forms.
9:15am: Pakatan Rakyat leaders at Batang Ai include Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, PKR vice-president Jeffrey Kitingan, Sarawak DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng and Sarawak National Party president Edwin Dundang.
9.14am: Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk S.Ganesan arrives at SMK Teknik 1 in Sungai Lalang to file the nomination papers for the Bukit Selambau by-election.
He was accompanied by MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, Umno vice-president Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein, MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, and party vice-presidents Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, and Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
The crowd of supporters for both parties who arrived were in the thousands.
Both the DAP and PAS had defied the orders of the Election Commission not to display flags of parties that were not contesting by hoisting their respective flags.
Since the Pakatan Rakyat candidate is from the PKR, only the PKR flag is allowed to be displayed.
9:11am: Ipoh businessman Kamarul Ramizi, 42, arrives at nomination centre to file his papers as an independent candidate for Bukit Gantang seat.
9:10am: Barisan candidate for Batang Ai Malcolm Mussen Lamoh arrives at the nomination centre accompanied by Sarawak chief minister Tan Sri Abdul Talib Mahmud and other coalition leaders.
9am: Barisan candidate for Bkt Gantang Ismail Safian arrives at the nomination centre there.
9am: Batang Ai returning officer Nelson Mujah declares nominations open.
8:45am: PKR candidate for Batang Ai Jawah Gerang arrives at the nomination centre at Lubok Antu Sports Complex where a large crowd had already gathered.
8:40am: PAS candidate for Bukit Gantang former Perak mentri besar Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin arrives at the nomination centre.
8:25am: Number of supporters in Bkt Gantang swell to the thousands, hundreds of FRU personnel and police cordon off a 100m radius around the building to maintain calm.
8:15am: Hundreds of Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat supporters have started to gather at the Taiping Municipal Council building to await their candidates for the Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election.
Barisan will be fielding Ismail Safian of Umno against former Perak mentri besar Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin of PAS.
The other two by-elections are the Bukit Selambau state seat in Kedah and the Batang Ai state seat in Sarawak.
7:20am: Earliest to arrive at SMK Teknik 1 in Sungai Lalang for the Bukit Selambau by-election nomination centre to file his nomination paper was Independent candidate Husaini Yaacob, 44.
Nominations will be open from 9am to 10am. Objections can be lodged from 10am to 11am. The returning officer will announce the candidates at about noon.
News by: TheStar Online..
Other related news: The Malaysian Insider: Rifts inPKR over Bukit Selambau
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