SEREMBAN, July 29 — Datuk Mohamad Rafie Ab Malek’s membership in PKR is automatically terminated for contesting the Ampangan seat in the state polls as an Independent candidate, said PKR vice president Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun.
According to Aminuddin, the party had not received any information from the incumbent Ampangan assemblyman regarding his intention to contest as an Independent candidate.
“It is his right to contest, but his membership in the party will be terminated. We only heard talks of him wanting to contest (as an Independent in the state polls) yesterday.
“Action will also be taken against other members involved,” he told reporters at the nomination centre at Dewan Komuniti Coral Heights here today.
Earlier, Mohamad Rafie made a surprise this morning after turning up at the nomination centre at Paroi Youth and Sports Complex here to contest as an Independent candidate for the Ampangan seat.
The Ampangan seat will see a three-cornered fight between Mohamad Rafie, Tengku Zamrah Tengku Sulaiman representing Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Muhammad Ghazali Zainal Abidin of Perikatan Nasional.
Meanwhile, Aminuddin said Mohamad Rafie’s actions did not affect the party’s efforts to defend the Ampangan seat.
“I am optimistic about the opportunities (to win) in Ampangan, we have our own strength. I am confident that the party’s election machinery will help our candidate (Tengku Zamrah) win the seat.
“We will leave it to the people to decide,” he said.
The Election Commission has set August 12 as the polling date for the state elections in Selangor, Kedah, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Negeri Sembilan and early voting on August 8. — Bernama
