HULU SELANGOR, April 28 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Pang Sock Tao will launch PH’s manifesto in conjunction with the Kuala Kubu Baru (KKB) by-election next week.

The former press secretary of Housing and Local Government Minister said that the manifesto was being studied and planned.

“When it is launched later, the entire machinery will work hard to ensure the entire community here knows and has information about our offers.

“Of course this is also a challenge because the incumbent (the late Lee Kee Hiong) had done her job well and was very active with community activities here. So apart from the manifesto offer, I will try to maintain that momentum including the good relations with all village leaders and councillors for the well-being of the people,” she said.

She said this in a press conference after joining National DAP deputy chairman Gobind Singh Deo in a form submission ceremony to set up a new Malay DAP branch at the Kuala Kubu Baru assemblyman service centre here today.

Asked about the reception of the Malay voters in the state constituency on her representing the Unity Government, Pang said the reception was very good.

“So far I have been to the Malay areas around Batang Kali and their response has been very good and many have given me words of encouragement thus giving me confidence to win the KKB seat,” she said.

Commenting on the status as a ‘non-local’ candidate, Pang said it was not an issue since KKB was not alien to her as she had followed the late Lee’s work including courting the community before.

“I’m from Selangor, I studied in Selangor, my heart has been captivated by the beauty of Kuala Kubu Baru... our only challenge now is to attract outside voters to come back to vote,” she said.

The KKB by-election candidate nomination yesterday saw Pang opposed by three challengers, namely the acting head of Hulu Selangor Bersatu Khairul Azhari Saut representing Perikatan Nasional (PN), Hafizah Zainuddin of Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) and Nyau Ke Xin (Independent).

The by-election is being held following the death of incumbent Lee, 58, on March 21 due to cancer.

The Election Commission (EC) set the polling day for the by-election on May 11 and early voting has been fixed for May 7.

Earlier, in the same function, Gobind who is also the Selangor DAP chairman said the setting of the DAP Melayu Jalan Kemboja branch today with 50 members who are below the age of 30, was the third to be opened in the Hulu Selangor area.

The setting up of the branch is a positive sign and showed the interest of the young generation to be involved in the political arena of the country.

“DAP is a party that is open to all and more importantly we want all levels of the community to be given an opportunity to be involved in politics and together ensure the progress of the nation,” he said. — Bernama