PKR announces Chegu Bard for Sungai Acheh seat

Penang PKR chief Mansor Othman has announced that Badrul Hisham Shahrin is its candidate for the Sungai Acheh state seat in the coming general election.

Also known as Chegu Bard, he is the chairperson of NGO Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia.

It was an open secret that PAS and PKR have been squabbling over the rural Malay seat in the Nibong Tebal constituency over the last few months.

Indeed there was speculation that PAS Parit Buntar incumbent MP Mujahd Rawa Yusuff was in the running.

But Mansor said he was happy to announce that PAS and PKR Penang had resolved the seat negotiations for Sungai Acheh with the PKR man getting the nod.

"We believe Chegu Bard will bring victory to Pakatan and changes to the Sungai Acheh constituency," he added.

Chegu Bard had contested against Khairy Jamaluddin in Rembau in the 2008 elections and lost narrowly.

Mansor's statement comes a day before state PAS leadership announces its candidates in Pongsu Seribu tonight.

In 2008, Umno's candidate Mahmud Zakaria scraped through in Sungai Acheh with 250 votes against PKR's Azhar Ahmad.

Strong family ties

When contacted, Chegu Bard said he accepted the party's decision to contest in the seat, more so in an area where he has strong family ties.

"I feel this is an important mission to strengthen the voice and roles of youth in the state administration," he told Malaysiakini.

Chegu Bard said his father in-law was one of the founders of the party in Sungai Acheh, and he has many friends in the constituency located in Seberang Perai Selatan (south).

"I am confident with the support of my family, friends, comrades in PAS and DAP, I will be able do my best. My mission is to bring Sungai Acheh into the mainstream of Penang's development," he added.

Chegu Bard was supposed to be fielded in the Nibong Tebal Parliamentary seat when he was asked to start his political campaign in the area a year ago.

However, in November last year, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim announcedMansor as the candidate for the seat, creating some unhappiness among Chegu Bard's supporters.