OMG! If 'may-lose-his-deposit' Zaid were to read what analysts said about his 'NO SUBSTANCE'

KUALA LUMPUR— The odds of a Datuk Zaid Ibrahim victory in Kajang are slim, but one political analyst said the former minister may even forfeit his candidate’s deposit in challenging Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Professor Jayum Jawan from Universiti Putra Malaysia said the former PKR member — who is contesting as an independent — has no support base and will pull but a few votes from both PKR and Barisan Nasional (BN).

“Zaid Ibrahim is not important,” Jayum told The Malay Mail Online

“Jumping here and there. He is nothing compared to Anwar.”

Lose deposit

Candidates are required to place a deposit of RM5,000 with the Election Commission to contest a state seat and an additional RM3,000 for the use of banners and campaign materials.

The deposit is forfeited if the candidate secures less than an eighth of the total number of votes.

Datuk Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia similarly said that Zaid’s entry would not affect the upper hand that Anwar holds in what is shaping to be a crowded race for the seat that PKR won last May with a significant margin.

“He is a politician of no substance. Never really won an election since 1999 GE,” said Shamsul Amri, referring to Zaid.

Of "NO SUBSTANCE", credentials in doubt

The political analyst noted, however, that some PR supporters may vote for Zaid out of protest over the intrigue surrounding PKR’s so-called “Kajang Move.”

Zaid, a former de facto law minister in the Abdullah administration, resigned from the Cabinet in 2008 to protest the use of the now-repealed Internal Security Act (ISA), after which he was sacked from Umno and subsequently joined PKR in 2009.

He also contested the Hulu Selangor by-election in 2010 as a PKR candidate, but lost the federal seat to MIC.

Zaid quit the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lynching later that year, accusing the party leadership of condoning electoral fraud in the party elections.

The politician eventually founded KITA, but quit as party president in 2012.

Dr Arnold Puyok, senior lecturer of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak’s faculty of social sciences, said yesterday that Zaid’s credentials have been in doubt since his days in PR and KITA.

“For some, it’s better for Zaid to remain outside of the political ring and help PR to change the government,” Puyok told The Malay Mail Online.

Umno-BN may chicken out

Besides Zaid, another independent candidate running for the state seat in Selangor is Yuktes Vijay, who is a former aide to Anwar’s lawyers during the Sodomy II trial.

Friend-turned-foe Senator Datuk S. Nallakarupan, who heads the Malaysian Indian United Party (MIUP), has also offered to run against Anwar under BN’s ticket.

BN has yet to announce its candidate for the March 23 by-election, but MCA vice-president Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun is tipped to win the party’s nod to represent the coalition.

PKR’s Lee Chin Cheh resigned suddenly and without reason as Kajang assemblyman late in January, triggering a by-election for Anwar to contest.

The unforced resignation is fuelling rumours that Anwar plans to join the state assembly for the purpose of removing Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim from his post as Selangor mentri besar.

The by-election will be held on March 23 and nominations are scheduled for March 11.

PKR’s Lee won the Kajang seat with a 6,824-vote majority in the elections held last May.

The Kajang constituency is 48 per cent Malay, 41 per cent Chinese and 10 per cent Indian.- Malay Mail