Three-cornered contest in Simpang Jeram

 

The Simpang Jeram state seat battle will witness a three-way clash between Pakatan Harapan candidate Nazri Abdul Rahman, Perikatan Nasional's Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya, and independent S Jeganathan.

Nazri is Amanah's Bakri division deputy chief, while Mazri is a former Johor PAS deputy commissioner. Jeganathan is a businessperson.

It is learnt that this is Jeganathan's third try to become an elected representative - the first two tries being for the Bukit Naning state seat in previous state elections.

The candidates' nominations were confirmed by Simpang Jeram state seat returning officer Jamil Hasni Abdullah, who announced the list at 10.12am at the nomination centre in Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim in Muar, Johor, today.

According to Jamil, Mazri was the first to submit his nomination at 9.04am, followed by Nazri at 9.08am and Jeganathan at 9.18am.

The stage is now set for the Simpang Jeram battle as none of the nominations were rejected.

Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghani was seen escorting the Harapan-BN candidate to the nomination centre at about 8.30am.

Also present were Amanah vice-president Mujahid Yusof Rawa, Johor PKR chairperson Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, and Amanah deputy president Adly Zahari.

Simpang Jeram candidates with Election Commission officers.

Mazri, meanwhile, was escorted by PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan, Kuala Terengganu MP Ahmad Amzad Hashim, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's son Muhammad Khalil, as well as Johor PN vice-chairperson Abdullah Husin.

Jaganathan arrived with a proposer and a seconder.

Unexpected vacancy

The Simpang Jeram and Pulai by-elections are being called due to the unexpected vacancy of the two seats following the death of domestic trade and cost of living minister Salahuddin Ayub on July 23, a day after undergoing surgery for a brain haemorrhage.

In the 15th general election, Salahuddin won the Pulai parliamentary seat with a majority of 33,174 votes, polling 64,900 votes, ahead of BN candidate Nur Jazlan Mohamed (31,726 votes) and PN candidate Loh Kah Yong (20,677).

Salahuddin also defended his Simpang Jeram seat in the Johor state election in March last year by polling 8,749 votes against PN’s Zarul Salleh (6,350 votes), BN’s Lokman Md Don (6,062 votes) and Pejuang’s Mahaizal Mahmor (208 votes).

Based on the Election Commission’s statistics, there are 166,653 registered voters, 165,799 ordinary voters, 927 police personnel and spouses and 26 overseas postal voters in the Pulai parliamentary constituency.

The Simpang Jeram state constituency has 40,379 registered voters, 40,373 ordinary voters and six overseas postal voters. - Mkini