PKR to field 60% new faces in Perak

State chief Dr Muhammad Nur Manuty says PKR is banking on newcomers to win at least seven parliamentary and 12 state seats.

TAIPING: Perak PKR, after the bitter lesson of 2008 where it lost most of the state seats and three of its members abandoned the party, is to field 60% new faces in the coming polls.

The hasty manner in enlisting its candidates in 2008 resulted in the PKR winning only three of the 10 parliamentary seats and losing 13 out of 21 state seats.

Perak PKR chief Dr Muhammad Nur Manuty said that the strict vetting of candidates is to ensure the new faces can win at least seven parliamentary seats and 12 state seats.

Muhammad Nur said: “Among the 60% of new faces, seven will be fielded in parliamentary seats while 10 for state seats. They will stand in seats which we lost in 2008.”

PKR will also be fielding three to four female candidates, while its Indian candidates may contest in two parliamentary and three state seats.

Muhammad Nur declined to name the candidates, saying that the list has to be first vetted by party headquarters before the official announcement tomorrow.

However, it is learnt that PKR women’s youth chief Siti Aishah Shaik Ismail will be fielded in the Tambun parliamentary seat against incumbent Finance Minister II Ahmad Husni Hanadziah.

Recently, PKR’s de-facto leader Anwar Ibrahim announced four names for the parliamentary seats in Perak.

Two of them, Rear-Admiral (Rtd) Imran Abdul Hamid and dentist Dr Meor Ahmad Isharra Ishak, are new faces who will contest in Lumut and Padang Rengas respectively.

Incumbent state deputy chief Dr Lee Boon Chye will defend his Gopeng parliamentary seat as will central committee member Mustafa Kamil Ayub and state vice chief Madzi Hasan in Pasir Salak and Bagan Datoh respectively.

Newcomers

The parliamentary seats of Bagan Serai and Tanjong Malim will see new faces in Mohamad Nur and former MCA wanita chief Tan Yee Kew respectively.

Eyeing the Tapah parliamentary seat are Lumut division deputy Capt M R Summugam, ex-Hindraf ISA detainee, K Vasantha Kumar, and former Malaysia Makkal Sakti’s A Vathemurthy.

However, the favourite among the three seems to be Capt Summugam.

Among the new faces for state seats are Wanita chief Fathmawaty Salim in Bukit Chandan while state vice chief cum lawyer Baldip Singh will contest in Tualang Sekah.

Behrang may go to Brig-Gen (Rtd) Abdul Hadi Khatab, while PKR Felda Bureau chief Mohd Suffian Abdullah and Pasir Salak division chief Osman Abdul Rahman are likely to contest in Temenggor and Sungai Manik respectively. All of them are newcomers.

State treasurer Dr Yap Yip Thong may contest in Chenderiang while the Hulu Kinta state seat may see a toss up between Ipoh Barat division chief MA Tinagaran and Tambun division vice chief Muhamad Arafat.

State information chief Zulkifly Ibrahim who lost the Bukit Chandan state seat in 2008 may now be moved to Bota.

In Simpang Pulai, incumbent Chan Ming Kai may be transferred to his home state of Perlis to contest the Indera Kayangan state seat. Chan’s replacement is likely to be Lee Boon Chye’s secretary Tan Kar Hing who is also the Tapah division vice chief.

The Pengkalan Hulu state seat may see a new face in Tambun division youth chief Ahmad Akhdor Mohd Rivai.