Gerakan unveils candidates, more than half new faces

Of the 42 candidates, 22 are newcomers.

KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan will contest in 11 parliamentary and 31 state seats in the May 5 general election, one parliamentary seat less allocated to the party in the last general election in 2008.

Party president Koh Tsu Koon said of the total 42 candidates, 22 or 52.4% are new faces who have not contested before, five or 12% are women and three or 7% are leaders of Indian origin, the rest are Chinese aspirants.

“The youngest candidate is 31 years’ old,” the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said in a statement.

Earlier, Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional chairman Najib Tun Razak handed the documents of nomination and the BN’s Pledge to BN component parties’ presidents and and state BN chairmen.

Koh said Gerakan would contest in two state seats in Sabah, namely Elopura and Tanjong Papat, as the incumbents – Aw Kam Wah and Raymond Tan Shu Kiah – of Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) embraced Gerakan in 2009 after SAPP withdrew from BN.

In Pahang, Gerakan swapped the Ketari state seat with MCA’s Tanah Rata, while it would “loan” the Kepong parliamentary seat in the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory and the Kota Alam Shah state seat in Selangor to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

Gerakan would also “loan” the Skudai state seat in Johor to MCA, he said.

The seats on “loan” are only for this general election, he added.

Following are Gerakan’s candidates’ list for Parliament and state seats:

Parliament seats

1. Batu Kawan – N Gobalakrishnan (new face)

2. Bukit Bendera – Teh Leong Meng (new face)

3. Tanjong – Ng Song Kheng (new face)

4. Jelutong – Ng Fook On

5. Taiping – Tan Lian Hoe

6. Beruas – Chang Ko Youn

7. Telok Intan – Mah Siew Keong

8. Puchong – A Kohilan Pillay (new face)

9. Batu – Dr Dominic Lau Hoe Chai (new face)

10. Segambut – B Jayanthi Devi (new face)

11. Simpang Renggam – Liang Teck Meng

State seats

Penang:

1. Machang Bubuk – Tan Loke Heah (new face)

2. Bukit Tengah – Teng Chang Yeow

3. Bukit Tambun – Lai Chew Hock

4. Tanjung Bungah – Chia Kwang Chye

5. Kebun Bunga – H’ng Chee Wey (new face)

6. Pulau Tikus – Rowena Yam (new face)

7. Padang Kota – Oh Tong Keong (new face)

8. Datuk Keramat – Ong Thean Lye

9. Sungai Pinang – Dr Thor Teong Gee

10. Batu Lanchang – Lee Boon Ten

11. Air Itam – Loo Jieh Sheng (new face)

12. Batu Uban – Goh Kheng Sneah

13. Pantai Jerejak – Wong Mun Hoe

Kedah:

1. Derga – Dr Cheah Soon Hai

2. Sidam –Bee Sieong Heng (new face)

Perak:

1. Kuala Sepetang – Loh Swee Eng (new face)

2. Aulong – Soo Key Ping (new face)

3. Jalong – Liew Yew Aw (new face)

4. Canning – Ceylyn Tay Wei Lung (new face)

Pahang:

1. Tanah Rata – Ho Yip Kap

2. Triang – Tan Tin Loon

Selangor:

1. Teratai – Ben Liew Pok Boon (new face)

2. Bukit Gasing – Juan Sei Chang (new face)

3. Bukit Lanjan – Francis Chong Tuck Chiew (new face)

Negeri Sembilan:

1. Bukit Kepayang – Wong Oi Foon (new face)

2. Senawang – Choong Vee Hing (new face)

Malacca:

1. Bachang – Chua Lian Chye (new face)

Johor:

1. Pemanis – Lau Chin Hoon

2. Bukit Batu – Cheong Chin Liang

Sabah:

1. Elopura – Au Kam Wah

2. Tanjong Papat – Raymond Tan Shu Kiah

-Bernama