Bitter pill to swallow for Wangsa Maju incumbent

Kee Kwong says he will not pitch in to help the new candidate‘s campaign

WANGSA Maju MP Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong has expressed deep disappointment over the PKR leadership’s decision to drop him and field someone else instead for the parliamentary seat.

From the list announced by party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Kee Kwong has been replaced by PKR treasurer-general Datin Paduka Dr Tan Yee Kew as candidate for Wangsa Maju.

“I have served Wangsa Maju for eight years, even before contesting in the 13th general election.

“How can PKR pick a candidate that is not active in Wangsa Maju?

“I do not understand this decision made by the leadership,” Kee Kwong told StarMetro in a phone interview.

In GE13, Yee Kew had run for Tanjung Malim parliamentary seat and lost by 4,328 votes to Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan.

Yee Kew will be up against MCA‘s Datuk Seri Yew Teong Look and PAS ’ Razali Tumiran.

“The ceramah that we have done in Danau Kota last Sunday was a huge success. Even top leaders like Pakatan Harapan chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed came to Wangsa Maju to speak.

“This was the only constituency in Kuala Lumpur that Mahathir gave a speech and it clearly indicated that he supported me as a candidate in Wangsa Maju,” said Kee Kwong.

He said that he would not be pitching in to help with the new Wangsa Maju candidate’s campaign.

“I will help candidates in other constituencies such as Batu, Segambut and Kajang,” he told StarMetro.

He thanked Wangsa Maju constituents for the support given to him as MP, saying that for the moment he would take a break, relax and turn his attention to other interests.

Yee Kew, a three-term Klang MP (1995-2008) and the International Trade and Industry Ministry parliamentary secretary (2004-2008) will be up against Federal Territory as well as Wangsa Maju MCA chairman Datuk Seri Yew Teong Look and PAS’ Razali Tumiran.

PKR will contest in five parliamentary seats in Kuala Lumpur, resulting in three-cornered fights for these seats between PKR, Barisan and PAS candidates.

Incumbent Batu MP Tian Chua will defend his seat against Sentul Utama PAS deputy chief Azhar Yahya and Barisan’s Datuk Dr Dominic Lau, who is Gerakan vice-president.

Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, the former Seri Setia assemblyman, has been moved to Setiawangsa to challenge former Setiawangsa MP Tan Sri Zulhasnan Rafique (BN) and PAS’ Ubaid Abdul Akla. Lembah Pantai PKR Youth chief Fahmi Fadzil will be contesting against Barisan’s Datuk Seri Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin and Lembah Pantai PAS treasurer Fauzi Abu Bakar in Lembah Pantai while PKR’s Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar, a four-term Tumpat MP, will be contesting in Bandar Tun Razak against Bandar Tun Razak Umno Youth chief Adnan Seman and Dr Rosni Adam from PAS.

Up to press time, Yee Kew and Tian Chua were unreachable for comment.

According to sources, PKR leaders were in a closed-door meeting to finalise candidates for other unannounced seats.