Sg Bakap polls: Pakatan to announce candidate on June 12

NIBONG TEBAL: The unity government will announce the candidate to contest the Sungai Bakap by-election on Wednesday (June 12).

Unity coalition election director Rafizi Ramli (pic) announced this when launching of Sungai Bakap by-election machinery at the PKR Sungai Bakap service centre near Jalan Besar here on Sunday (June 9).

"We will announce the candidate after meeting on Tuesday (June 11)," he said.

The Star recently reported that former teacher Dr Joohari Ariffin, 60, is the front-runner to be picked as the candidate.

It is learnt that Joohari used to work closely with Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, who is Nibong Tebal MP, on her party and parliamentary responsibilities.

The Sungai Bakap state seat fell vacant following the death of Nor Zamri Latiff, 56, a first-term assemblyman, on May 24.

Based on Election Commission records from the last state election, the Sungai Bakap constituency has 38,409 voters, with the majority being Malays (59.36%), followed by Chinese (22.54%), Indians (17.39%) and others (0.71%).

The Election Commission on Thursday (June 6) said that polling has been set for July 6, with Nomination Day on June 22.

The Nibong Tebal PAS chief secured 15,433 votes in the August 2023 state election, defeating Pakatan Harapan's Nurhidayah Che Rose.