Johor Menteri Besar Abdul Ghani Othman today declined comment on speculation that he would contest the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat in the coming general election against DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang who has stated his intention to stand there.

 

“No... no... wait,” he told reporters who pressed him for an answer. The four-term menteri besar was the state assemblyperson for Serom in the last Johor state assembly.

Ghani was approached by the reporters after he had looked at the preparations for the general election in the Sengkang, Bukit Gambir, area in Muar. He was accompanied by the former MP for Ledang, Hamim Samuri, and Ledang Umno Youth head Zaidi Abd Majid.

 

An English-language newspaper today reported that several state Umno leaders had coaxed Abdul Ghani, 67, to face Kit Siang in Gelang Patah, traditionally an MCA seat which Tan Ah Eng of that party won in 2008 by beating a PKR candidate with a majority of 8,851 votes.

Speculation on the Ghani-Kit Siang battle had led to talk about a possible change in the number one position in the state, with the name of Higher Education Minister and former Pasir Gudang MP Khalid Nordin being bandied about as the possible successor to Ghani.

In JOHOR BARU, MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek said no decision had been made on the whether Ghani would contest the Gelang Patah seat.

“So far, there has only been talk, rumours,” he told reporters after a meeting with the people along with Gelang Patah MCA head Jason Teoh at the Taman Ungku Tun Aminah market.

Meanwhile, Gelang Patah Barisan Nasional head Aziz Sapian said any BN candidate determined by the coalition leadership was welcome to stand in the constituency.

- Bernama

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