196 vying for 53 seats in Penang

GEORGE TOWN: While a man who is under police remand is among the 196 candidates contesting the elections in Penang, three hopefuls had their hopes dashed.

S. Ragindran, 58, filed his nomination papers to contest as an Independent for the Pengkalan Kota state seat through his lawyer.

The nomination papers of Yaakob Osman, 53, Wan Balkis Wan Abdullah, 62, and Rajendra Ammasi, 50, were, however, rejected.

Yaakob was disqualified from contesting the Penaga state seat on a Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia ticket as he was a bankrupt.

He was unhappy about the ruling, claiming that he had checked twice on the Insolvency Department website, and it did not show he was bankrupt.

Wan Balkis, from the Penang Front Party, who wanted to contest the Machang Bubuk state seat, and Rajendra, who wanted to contest the Bayan Baru parliamentary seat and Batu Uban state seat, were disqualified as they did not file their financial statements with the Election Commission when they contested in the last general election.

There was more drama when a Parti Rakyat Malaysia candidate, Azman Shah Othman, who was coming from Sungai Petani, Kedah, met with an accident when his car was hit from the rear.

He managed to reach the nomination centre in Tasek Gelugor 30 minutes before it closed. He is contesting the Permatang Berangan state seat.

Parti Cinta Malaysia vice-president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan, who submitted his nomination papers for the Bagan parliament seat, was irked when the party’s new logo was not allowed by the returning officer.

The party’s other candidate Manikandan Ramayah, who is contesting the Air Putih state seat, also had the same problem.

Their nomination papers were accepted but the issue delayed the announcement of candidates by the returning officers.

Former Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng, who quit PKR in 2010, made heads turn when he submitted his nomination papers to contest the seat. He will be up against his former party boss Datuk Mansor Othman, PAS’ Mohd Helmi Harun and Datuk Shaik Hussein Mydin of Barisan Nasional.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is contesting the Air Putih state seat and Bagan parliamentary seat, has to contend with three opponents in each seat.

For Air Putih, Lim will face Penang MCA secretary Tang Heap Seng and MUP president Tan Gin Theam.

Of the total 53 seats in Penang, Sungai Pinang and Perai have the most number of candidates, with six each.

Of the 13 parliamentary constituencies, Batu Kawan tops the list with 20 candidates contesting the parliamentary seat and its three state seats Perai, Bukit Tambun and Bukit Tengah.

It is followed closely by Bagan with 19 candidates vying for the parliamentary seat and Sungai Puyu, Bagan Dalam and Bagan Jermal under it.