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Gerakan to sit out Semenyih polls
Published:  Feb 14, 2019 6:18 PM
Updated: 10:18 AM

SEMENYIH POLLS | Former BN component party Gerakan has decided to sit out the Semenyih by-election.

Its president Dominic Lau, in a statement today, said the decision was taken after analyses and observations made over the past month showed a "less promising" electoral prospect in the March 2 by-election.

"We have taken into consideration, multiple factors, including racial composition, voter sentiment, potential opponents, track record, current issues and internal readiness.

"The party values honest feedback from the state leadership, grassroots members, as well as members of the local community. 

"The majority of the view were in line with the unfavourable prospect as suggested in the pre-electoral studies by the party. 

"As such, we agreed that it is in the best interest of the party to sit out the coming Semenyih by-election," Lau said.

The party will "actively monitor" the by-election, particularly on reports of potential election offences, he added.

Lau further expressed the party's willingness to cooperate or campaign for "a like-minded party" in the Semenyih polls, and other future elections.

Last month, Lau had said that Gerakan would discuss the need to contest in the Semenyih by-election, depending on the outcome of the Jan 26 Cameron Highlands by-election.

The Semenyih by-election is the sixth to be held after the 14th general election on May 9 last year, with the first three for the state constituencies of Sungai Kandis on Aug 4, Balakong and Seri Setia (Sept 8) and then the parliamentary constituencies of Port Dickson (Oct 13) and Cameron Highlands (Jan 26).

The Semenyih by-election is called following the death of its assemblyperson Bakhtiar Mohd Nor from a heart attack on Jan 11.

The Election Commission has set the nomination on Feb 16, early voting on Feb 26 and polling on March 2.


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