SEBERANG PERAI, July 26 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) announced its 39 candidates for the Penang state polls today and left out the controversial Bayan Lepas seat.
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia vice president Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee read out the list of candidates under PN but stopped at Teluk Bahang, seat number 039.
He did not explain the reasons for not announcing the candidate for the Bayan Lepas seat (number 40) but it is believed that this was due to the controversy surrounding Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau Hoe Chai’s proposed candidacy for the seat.
It is learnt that Lau’s candidacy was not announced as part of efforts to control the majority PAS crowd at the event from becoming unruly.
The announcement of the candidates’ list was held at the Penang PAS headquarters in Pongsu Seribu in Kepala Batas, a PAS stronghold.
PN secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin is expected to announce the Bayan Lepas candidate tomorrow morning.
Earlier today, Bayan Lepas PAS branches issued a statement protesting Lau’s candidacy for the Bayan Lepas seat.
They also held a demonstration to protest against Lau’s candidacy earlier this evening in Bayan Lepas.
Yesterday, Tasek Gelugor PAS Youth also issued a statement against Gerakan contesting in any of the state seats under the Tasek Gelugor parliamentary constituency.
Lau earlier today said it is normal for there to be dissent among certain groups within the coalition especially when it comes to selection of candidates.
In his speech at the announcement of candidates this evening, he said it is normal for some groups to feel sad about the choice of candidates.
“PN will have only one candidate for each seat so if those not selected are sad, it is okay to be sad for a day,” he said.
He said after this, everyone in PN must get together and join the PN election machineries to ensure wins for PN candidates.
Ronald named a total 18 candidates from Gerakan, 10 from PAS and 11 from Bersatu.
Later, state PAS commissioner Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff said three of their candidates are from Dewan Himpunan Pendukung PAS (DHPP).
He said the three from DHPP, Teow Chin Siang will be contesting in Sungai Puyu, K. Jayaraman in Bagan Dalam and Koh Tien Yew in Jawi.
Meanwhile, Gerakan will be fielding two former assemblymen, Cheang Chee Gooi in Air Itam and Ng Fook On in Sungai Pinang.
The party will be fielding 12 new faces and the rest have contested in both state and parliamentary seats previously.
