KKB by-election: We only decided to contest at 2am on Nomination Day, says PRM

HULU SELANGOR: We only decided to contest at 2am on Saturday (April 27), says Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM).

Its president Ahmad Jufliz Faiza said the decision to field its candidate Hafizah Zainuddin (pic, below), 50, was a last minute one.

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“We want to contest to make sure PRM continues to be in Malaysia’s political landscape.

“Secondly, there are various issues we want to highlight. It’s not about winning or losing, but saving our country,” he told reporters at the nomination centre here on Saturday (April 27).

PRM’s Hafizah was also the final individual who submitted their nomination papers for the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election.

Photo: Bernama

Meanwhile, an unexpected scene played out at the nomination centre when aspiring independent candidate Chng Boon Lai’s bid for nomination was rejected.

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This was due to the submission of incomplete documentation.

His nomination was invalidated over an unfiled expense report from when he contested the Kuala Kubu Baharu seat in the Selangor state elections last year.

When pressed if his election bid was motivated by the nomination of an outsider, Chng confirmed, "Yes."

The by-election will see a four-cornered fight between Pakatan Harapan, Perikatan Nasional, PRM and an independent candidate.

On April 4, the Election Commission (EC) set May 11 as polling day for the Kuala Kubu Baru by-election, with nomination and early voting on April 27 and May 7, respectively.

The seat became vacant following the death of its incumbent Lee Kee Hiong from DAP on March 21.

Lee, 58, who had been the Kuala Kubu Baru assemblyman under the Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency since 2013, had battled cancer for several years.

The by-election is the seventh to be held after the 15th General Election (GE15) in 2022.

The electoral roll for the Kuala Kubu Baru by-election comprises 40,226 registered voters consisting of 39,362 regular voters, 625 police personnel, 238 military personnel and spouses and one absentee voter residing abroad.