A piece of the limelight: Tambun candidates (from left) Abdul Rahim (GTA-Pejuang), Anwar (Pakatan), Ahmad Faizal (Perikatan) and Aminuddin (Barisan) posing at Dewan Sri Kledang Institut Latihan Perindustrian Meru in Ipoh, Perak. — Bernama
IPOH: While most eyes were on Tambun where Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu will square off against PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Sungai Siput stole the thunder in Perak with seven candidates vying for the seat.
Incumbent S. Kesavan of Pakatan Harapan will not only have to fend off MIC president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran, but also Datuk Seri G. Irudianathan of Perikatan Nasional and GTA-Pejuang’s Ahmad Fauzi Mohd Jaafar.
Also in the race are three Independent candidates, namely R. Indrani, Baharudin Kamaruddin and N. Rajah.
There would have been eight candidates if S. Nagalingam, who contested the seat in 2013, had not pulled out at the eleventh hour.
Prior to this, the most number of candidates to fight for the federal seat was four, when Kesavan beat MIC’s Datuk Seri SK Devamany, PAS’ Ishak Ibrahim and Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj of PSM in 2018.
Tambun, however, was still colourful with Anwar marching in to the nomination with a lion dance, accompanied by Indian music. Besides Ahmad Faizal, Anwar will have Tambun Umno division chief Datuk Aminuddin Md Hanafiah and GTA-Pejuang’s Abdul Rahim Tahir to deal with.
Ahmad Faizal said later that he believes the voters would be more comfortable seeking services from someone they knew instead of an “outsider” like Anwar.
Anwar, the Pakatan chairman, said Tambun was “new terrain” for him, but he had people like (Perak Amanah chairman) Datuk Asmuni Awi who had been serving for years.
“I will be here for some time,” Anwar said, adding that he had been a “Perakian” for nine years, having studied in Kuala Kangsar and also “stayed” at the Kamunting detention camp.
In Tanjung Malim, incumbent MP Chang Lih Kang will face MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon again, plus four others.
The other candidates are former Tualang Sekah assemblyman Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi of Bersatu, Dr Amir Hamzah Abdul Rajak (GTA-Pejuang), and two Independent candidates – Izzat Johari and former Behrang assemblyman Datuk Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi.
Dr Mah said he would do his best to convince voters that he was the right person for the constituency.
“Although I lost (in GE14), I continued serving the people here. I hope they will give me a chance,” he said.
In other parliamentary contests, Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will defend his Bagan Datuk seat against Dr Muhammad Faiz Na’aman of Perikatan, Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin of Pakatan and also Independent candidate Tawfik Ismail.
Lumut will see a five-cornered fight with incumbent Datuk Mohd Hatta Md Ramli of Pakatan against Barisan secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, Perikatan’s Nordin Ahmad Ismail, Warisan’s Mohd Isnin Mohd Ismail and GTA-Pejuang’s Mazlan Abdul Ghani.
Incumbent Larut MP Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin will defend his seat against Barisan’s Mohd Shafiq Fhadly Mahmud, Zolkarnain Abidin of Pakatan and GTA-Pejuang’s Auzaie Fadzlan Shahidi.
Ipoh Barat will see the return of former PPP president Tan Sri M. Kayveas, who will be standing as an Independent against the incumbent, DAP’s M. Kulasegaran. Also in the fray are Barisan’s Low Guo Nan and Perikatan’s Chek Kwong Weng.
In Gopeng, Pakatan’s former Simpang Pulai assemblyman Tan Kar Hing will contest the seat against Cally Ting Zhao Song of Barisan, Muhammad Farhan Abdul Rahim from Perikatan and Warisan’s Dr Balachandran Gopal.
The Kampar parliamentary seat will see a four-cornered fight among Barisan’s Datuk Lee Chee Leong, Pakatan’s Chong Zhemin, Wong Oi Foon of Perikatan and Leong Chuk Lung from Warisan.
Prior to the dissolution of the Dewan Rakyat, Barisan held seven of the state’s 24 parliamentary seats (Umno six, MIC one), Perikatan had four (all Bersatu), while Pakatan had 12 (Amanah two, DAP seven and PKR three).
The Gerik seat was left vacant following the death of Umno’s Datuk Hasbullah Osman in 2020.
As for 59 state seats, Barisan held 25 (Umno), Perikatan had eight (Bersatu five and PAS three), Pakatan had 23 (DAP 15, Amanah five and PKR three), Parti Bangsa Malaysia (two) and Independent (one).
