Why Chegubard was kicked out of Negeri Sembilan

Was Chegubard kicked out of Negeri Sembilan due to a letter he sent to the party headquarters in July last year criticising the party leaders and making certain allegations against them? He is now contesting in a seat that his wife, Anwar Ibrahim’s niece, has her roots, although he himself is not from Penang.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

(Malaysiakini, 10 April 2013) - 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 Chegubard, 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 Mujahid 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 Chegubard will bring victory to Pakatan and changes to the Sungai Acheh constituency,” he added. Chegubard had contested against Khairy Jamaluddin in Rembau in the 2008 election 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.

When contacted, Chegubard said he accepts 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 said.

Chegubard 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 that, 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.

Chegubard was to have been fielded in the Nibong Tebal Parliamentary seat when he was asked to start his political campaign in the area a year ago. However, last November, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim announced Mansor as the candidate for the seat, creating some unhappiness among Chegubard’s supporters.

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Guan Eng upset over tussle for Sungai Acheh

(The Star, 22 April 2013) - DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng is disappointed over the tussle between PKR and PAS for the Sungai Acheh state seat, saying “one-to-one” contest was best.

The seat is being contested by PKR's Badrul Hisham Shaharin, 35, better known as Chegu Bard, PAS' Mohd Yusni Mat Piah, 38, as well as Barisan's Datuk Mahmud Zakaria, 65.

“Of course I am disappointed but I was made to understand that there had been discussions at the highest level.

“I don't know what happened,” he said, adding that Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had said that the matter would be resolved with the PAS leadership.

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‘PAS tried to sabotage Chegubard in Sg Acheh’

Supporters of PKR's Badrul Hisham Shaharin claim that members of Penang PAS youth wing had tried to sabotage the former from filing his nomination papers yesterday.

(FMT, 21 April 2013) - Trouble is brewing between PAS and PKR over the Sungai Acheh state seat in Penang.

Sungai Acheh is one of seven seats being contested by both PAS and PKR, resulting in a three-cornered fight with Barisan Nasional.

In Sungai Acheh, Badrul Hisham Shaharin, who is better known as Chegubard, will face off Pakatan Rakyat partner PAS’ Mohd Yusni Mat Piah and BN candidate Mahmud Zakaria.

The seat was won by Mahmud in 2008 by defeating PKR’s Dr Azhar Ahmad by 250 votes.

While leaders from PAS and PKR had said that they would resolve this issue in the next couple of days, a close associate of Badrul today revealed the extent of which PAS members had gone to ensure Badrul would fail to stand as a candidate for this seat.

Blogger and an official from Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM), Edy Noor Reduan, said members of PAS youth wing from Penang had attempted to stop Badrul from filing his nomination papers in Nibong Tebal yesterday.