PETALING JAYA: Former Johor menteri besar Khaled Nordin is almost certain to be named as the Barisan Nasional candidate in the Tanjung Piai by-election, the first time a non-MCA man will contest the federal seat.
The Election Commission today announced Nov 16 as polling day for Tanjung Piai, whose incumbent from PPBM Md Farid Md Rafik died last month.
Sources in Umno told FMT that Khaled, who is an Umno vice-president, has received “the necessary blessings” from top party leadership to represent BN.
On Saturday, 88 Umno branch leaders passed a resolution demanding that BN choose a candidate from Umno.
“MCA had the seat for too long and Tanjung Piai is a Malay-majority area,” Tanjung Piai Umno chief Jefridin Atan told FMT.
Tanjung Piai used to be a battleground for MCA and DAP, but DAP made way for PPBM in the last general election.
Farid won the seat with a majority of 524 votes. The incumbent, MCA’s Wee Jeck Seng, garnered 20,731 votes and PAS’ Nordin Othman got 2,962.
Some 57% of voters in Tanjung Piai are Malay, followed by Chinese (42%). Indians make up just about 1% of the electorate.
When contacted, Khaled denied he was the frontrunner.
“Nope, local candidate,” he said in a text message. - FMT
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