KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 — DAP’s Lim Kit Siang has today shot down rumours that he will contest the Bakri parliamentary seat in the 15th general election (GE15).

Lim’s denial comes as Johor Umno chief Datuk Hasni Mohammad had claimed to have received information about a DAP meeting in which Lim said he "may possibly contest in Bakri”, despite having announced his retirement from active politics earlier this year.

In a statement today, Lim said he has retired from competitive politics and is therefore unaware of any recent meetings allegedly taking place to discuss his candidacy for that parliamentary seat.

"I do not know where Hasni got his information, but he is proving to be an atrocious political leader and strategist, purveying fake and false information.

"The DAP and Pakatan Harapan must be thankful that Hasni is the Umno leader in Johor who believes in such misinformation,” Lim said.

The Bakri parliamentary seat is currently held by DAP’s former federal minister Yeo Bee Yin, who secured the seat with a 23,211 majority against BN’s Koh Chon Chai and PAS Md Zahrul Salleh in the previous 2018 national polls.

In March this year, it was reported that Lim will retire after serving 56 years in active politics and is not expected to defend his Iskandar Puteri parliament seat for the upcoming polls.

The two-term Iskandar Puteri MP was also the parliamentarian for Bandar Melaka (1969-1974), Kota Melaka (1974-1978), Petaling (1978-1982), Kota Melaka (1982-1986), Tanjong (1986-1999), Ipoh Timor (2004-2013) and Gelang Patah before it was renamed to Iskandar Puteri (2013-2022).