Unity govt candidate for Sg Bakap polls to be named on June 12 - Rafizi

 

The coalition government candidate for the Sungai Bakap by-election will be announced on Wednesday (June 12).

PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli said the name of the selected candidate from the party would be presented at the Unity Government Leadership Consultative Council Meeting tomorrow afternoon.

“The list of candidates has been submitted to PKR president Anwar Ibrahim and the Election Department. The Penang State Leadership Council has screened the candidate.

“We will present the chosen name as the candidate according to the process at the Unity Government Leadership Consultative Council Meeting on Tuesday.

“That is the process even though it is PKR contesting, our allies will approve it,” he told reporters after launching the Sungai Bakap election machinery last night.

‘No easy contest’

Rafizi, who is also PKR’s election director, said the Sungai Bakap by-election was not an easy contest for the Pakatan Harapan and BN coalition, but there was a chance to reclaim the seat that was lost to Perikatan Nasional in the last state election.

“We accept the fact that we enter this by-election as the underdogs, but we are confident of reclaiming the Sungai Bakap seat that was ‘briefly lent’ to PN,” he said.

He also reminded the Harapan coalition machinery that the campaign for the Sungai Bakap by-election should be different, with speeches also addressing the issue of the Palestinian people.

The economy minister further requested the party machinery to campaign with dignity and respond to all accusations and slanders thrown by the opposition in a proper manner.

Also present at the event were Penang Harapan chairperson Chow Kon Yeow, Penang PKR Leadership Council deputy chairperson Mohamad Abdul Hamid, Penang Umno liaison committee chairperson Musa Sheikh Fadzir, Umno supreme council member Jamil Khir Baharom, and Nibong Tebal MP Fadhlina Sidek.

The Election Commission has set July 6 as polling day for the Sungai Bakap by-election, with nominations to be held on June 22 and early voting on July 2.

The by-election is being held following the death of the incumbent, Nor Zamri Latiff, on May 24 due to stomach inflammation.

In the last state election, Nibong Tebal PAS division leader Nor Zamri Latiff defeated Harapan’s Nurhidayah Che Ros with a majority of 1,563 votes.

- Bernama