Penang PPBM chief to be Dewan Negara Senator

KEPALA BATAS: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Pribumi) Penang chairman Marzuki Yahya has said that he will be appointed as a Senator in the next Dewan Negara sitting.

Marzuki said he has been informed about his appointment by the party's top leadership, and will leave the date of appointment to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to decide.

"We have not received the date but I have been informed. The slot is part of Pribumi's quota, and we will leave it to Prime Minister to set the date," Marzuki told reporters during the party's Hari Raya open house in Sungai Dua here on Thursday (July 12).

In his speech earlier, Marzuki said the party's work has started to reinforce and uplift the dignity of Malays in the country.

He urged the people to be united and support the party's effort in restablising the country which is recovering from the 'damage'  from Umno's leadership.

Also present were PPBM deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir who is also Kedah Mentri Besar and state exco Phee Boon Poh.

Marzuki lost the Tasek Gelugor parliamentary seat  in the 14th General Election to Barisan Nasional's incumbent Datuk Shabudin Yahaya by just 81 votes.

Shabudin received 18,547 votes against Marzuki’s 18,466 votes while Rizal Hafiz Ruslan from PAS received 14,891 votes.

Marzuki was reported saying the number of spoilt votes were high, with 689 spoilt votes and 297 unreturned ballot papers, but his request for a recount was rejected by the returning officer.