Three stumble before the race

Sorry, my friend: Amanah’s pick for Kepala Batas seat Dr Zaidi Zakaria (right) consoling Yaakob.

KEPALA BATAS: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s Yaakob Osman who was disqualified from contesting the Penaga state seat in Kepala Batas, will consult his legal team over the next course of action.

Yaakob, 53, who is the younger brother of Penang Umno chief Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman, was not allowed to contest as there was a record of him being declared bankrupt.

“I have not had any issues as I have never received any summons or notice.

“We did a check last week and yesterday as well, and it stated that I was not bankrupt.

“Overnight it suddenly states that I am a bankrupt,” he said outside the nomination centre at the Kepala Batas Industrial Training Institute here yesterday.

Earlier, former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi showed up to throw his support behind Barisan Nasional’s candidates in the Kepala Batas constituency.

Despite feeling unwell, he met up with Kepala Batas parliamentary seat incumbent Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican and the three state seat incumbents, Datuk Shariful Azhar Othman (Bertam), Datuk Roslan Saidin (Pinang Tunggal) and Datuk Mohd Zain Ahmad (Penaga) at SMK Sains Kepala Batas before walking for almost 2km with them to the nomination centre.

Over at Tasek Gelugor, Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) candidate Azman Shah Othman, who is contesting the Permatang Berangan state seat, almost failed to make it to the nomination centre in time after his vehicle was involved in a collision with another vehicle.

“I was half way there when the accident happened. I managed to hitch a ride to the centre in Sungai Dua with my supporters.

“Luckily, I managed to reach there about 30 minutes before nomination closed,” he said.

In Bukit Mertajam, Wan Balkis Wan Abdullah of Penang Front Party (PFP) failed in his nomination bid to contest the Machang Bubuk state seat.

He said his nomination was rejected by the EC on grounds that he did not submit his financial statement from the previous general election where he stood as an independent in the same seat.

In Bayan Baru, Independent candidate Rajendra Ammasi, who showed up at the area’s nomination centre at SJK(C) Min Sin dressed as famous Indian actor-politician M.G. Ramachandran (or MGR), also had his nominations for the Bayan Baru parliament and Batu Uban state seats rejected for failing to submit the necessary nomination documents issued by the EC.