Kayveas says let only locals contest in future polls

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: The Election Commission (EC) should allow only locals to be fielded as candidates in future elections, says Tan Sri M. Kayveas.

The former MyPPP chairman said if an elected rep was not a local, he or she would not be able to fully commit to the constituency.

"This is a mistake in the existing system where non-locals are allowed to contest in an election.

"I hope in the future, the EC would find a way to ensure only those who are voters in the area can contest there," said Kayveas, after casting his vote at SMK Sultan Ahmad Shah for the Cameron Highlands by-election on Saturday (Jan 26).

Candidates Ramli Mohd Nor of Barisan Nasional and M. Manogaran of Pakatan Harapan are not registered voters in Cameron Highlands.

In contrast, independent candidates Wong Seng Yee and Sallehuddin Ab Talib are voters in Bertam Valley and Sungai Koyan respectively.

Kayveas, whose party MyPPP was deregistered by the Registrar of Societies (RoS) last week, said he had appealed the decision with the Home Ministry.

"We have appealed and we hope the decision will be reversed. If we remain deregistered, we will see what we will do next and will consider taking legal action," he said.

Kayveas had initially intended to contest for the by-election under the MyPPP banner, but claimed he was not allowed to do so by the RoS.

Despite not being able to take part in the by-election, Kayveas said he and his party workers would continue their service in Cameron Highlands.

"We are not going anywhere. We will continue our work here. We have a close relationship with the schools and the orang asli villages too," said Kayveas.

Polling at Cameron Highlands began at 8am and will close at 5.30pm.

The EC said as of 9am, the voter turnout was 15%.

The by-election was triggered following the Election Court's decision to declare the 14th General Election result void, after it found evidences of corruption committed by Barisan's Datuk C. Sivarraajh's camp.