ALREADY BERSATU LOSES ROUND 1: ‘FOOLED’ BY UMNO INTO EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT, BERSATU NAMES ITS TANJUNG PIAI CHIEF AS CANDIDATE FOR BY-ELECTION – ONLY TO GET KICKED AGAIN AS UMNO FIRES BACK – ‘BUT YOUR KARMAINE IS 66 YEARS OLD – HOPE THERE WON’T BE 2ND BY-ELECTION!’

PONTIAN – Tanjung Piai Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) division chief Karmaine Sardini is the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the parliamentary seat in the November 16 by-election.

The announcement was made by Johor PH chief Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at the Hai Kee Hall in Jalan Johor here today.

Karmaine, 66, was a former teacher at SMK Teluk Kerang in Tanjung Piai before continuing his studies in architecture.

He later served as an architect in the Kuala Lumpur City Hall from 1980 to 2000.

Karmaine was also the former Tanjung Piai Umno division treasurer before leaving the party.

He once contested as Bersatu candidate during the last general election in the Pontian parliament where he lost to incumbent Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan by just 833 votes.

The Johor state government also appointed him as a board of director member at Yayasan Pelajaran Johor earlier this year. — Malay Mail

Johor Umno chief: Bersatu candidate is 66, hope there won’t be 2nd by-election

Johor Umno chief Hasni Mohammad has made a passing dig at the age of Bersatu’s candidate for the Tanjung Piai by-election.

“Their candidate (Karmaine Sardini) is 66, going to be 67 next year, hopefully there won’t be another by-election. Elections are tiring,” Hasni said.

He was speaking at the launch of BN’s machinery for the by-election today.

The Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat in Johor fell vacant following the death of its incumbent, former deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Dr Md Farid Md Rafik.

Karmaine’s candidacy was announced by Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin at an event in Tanjung Piai earlier today.

BN was scheduled to announce their candidate today as well, but Hasni said this was a bluff.

“They (Pakatan Harapan) were fooled by us. They wanted to announce on the 30th, but when they heard that we were going to announce at 4pm (today), they announced first at 2pm.

“So they were defeated, we will not be announcing our candidate today,” he said.

Meanwhile, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi showed deference to the late Farid.

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi giving a speech

After giving salutations to all the BN leaders present at the launch, Zahid called for a short prayer for Farid and others who have passed away.

“Farid passed away too young, a doctor, medical expert is gone. He was a good man, that was his track record.

“But God willing, our candidate will be better than the dearly departed,” the BN chairperson said.

Zahid said the BN candidate will also be a local, and promised an announcement on the matter would be made soon.

In the 14th general election, MCA’s Wee Jeck Seng lost the seat by just 524 votes.

However, there have been calls for Umno to contest the seat instead.

MALAY MAIL / MKINI