Last-ditch effort to get or keep seats for polls
As the window for seat negotiations narrows ahead of nominations on Saturday, the jostling for seats has intensified among Pakatan Rakyat parties and prospective candidates.
As the window for seat negotiations narrows ahead of nominations on Saturday, the jostling for seats has intensified among Pakatan Rakyat parties and prospective candidates.
Several incumbents have become increasingly agitated as they hear word that they may be dropped or that they may be re-assigned to other seats.
They include Law Choo Kiang (Bukit Tambun), Jason Ong Khan Lee (Kebun Bunga) and Yusmadi Yusoff (Balik Pulau).
Their supporters have pitched in, staging rallies in three different locations over the past week to demand that the incumbents be allowed to defend their seats.
Yesterday morning, for example, more than 100 residents of the Rifle Range flats in Ayer Itam rallied in support of Ong, 38.
They urged the PKR leadership to retain him for another term in the state seat which falls under the Bukit Bendera parliamentary constituency. Ong ( right ), a lawyer, won the seat with a 3,125-vote majority against BN's Quah Kooi Heong in 2008.
Resident Choong Phooi Chun, 63, said Ong has been instrumental in the refurbishment of the flats and the creation of a linear park in the area.
Simon Roch, 24, said Ong is often seen monitoring the scene whenever there are floods, clogged drains and tree felling.
BC Lee, 35, said Ong has improved the Rifle Range flats, making it safer and greener for all to live in.
Last week, Law’s supporters from Taman Valdor had demanded that he be fielded in the Bukit Tambun seat.
Group spokesperson Ng Kau Seng said Law is diligent and has been resolving problems such as flash floods, which has been significantly reduced since 2008.
Law had taken the Bukit Tambun seat, a BN stronghold, with a 5,129-vote majority against Gerakan’s Huan Cheng Guan.
Law, the state PKR deputy chief, is expected to be tasked with contesting the Bukit Tengah seat this time around, against state BN chief Teng Chang Yeow.
On April 12, Yusmadi's supporters had come out in full force to express uneasiness with PKR for dropping him as the candidate for the Balik Pulau parliamentary seat.
The group touted him as a “local boy” while publicly registering their rejection of outsider Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik , 48, the potential candidate for the Malay stronghold.
In 2008, Yusmadi defeated BN’s Dr Norraesah Mohamad by a narrow majority of 708 votes. Observers have said he may have a better chance of retaining the seat than Muhammad Bakhtiar, a virtual unknown in the constituency.
Problems in state BN, too
On the DAP front, some supporters are trying to influence the selection process by demanding that certain candidates be dropped.
At least two DAP branches claiming to represent the grassroots have called on P Ramasamy (
right
) not to contest in Penang because he is from Sitiawan in Perak.
The same group has pledged support for DAP chairperson Karpal Singh, who was once involved in a bitter quarrel with Ramasamy and which sparked a feud between their supporters.
Pakatan’s opponents are faring no better despite trying to project a united front among its leaders, partners and factions.
It is learnt that the factions led by Chang Yeow and state Gerakan president Dr Teng Hock Nan are asking hopefuls to declare their allegiance before they are fielded. This has upset the process of seat negotiations within the state BN.
While Umno has obtained Chang Yeow's agreement to its candidates’ list, the MCA is reportedly unhappy with his purported intervention in its selection process.
This indicates a lack of trust or coordination between the allies, which explains why BN head Najib Abdul Razak and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin have been appealing for everyone to support those selected to contest.
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