OPPOSITION BIGWIGS ‘EYEING JOHOR SEATS’
Lim Kit Siang, Tian Chua may go for JB, Tebrau parliamentary seats
SPECULATION is rife that the Johor Baru and Tebrau parliamentary seats are being eyed by opposition bigwigs, such as DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and PKR vicepresident Chua Tian Chang, better known as Tian Chua.
Two others listed as potential candidates for these seats are Johor Baru PKR head Akmal Nasir and Tebrau PKR chief Steven Choong.
State PKR deputy chairman Jimmy Puah Wee Tse said he heard about the speculation, but could not confirm whether it was true.
“Yes, I have heard of such claims but I cannot confirm (if they will happen).”
Barisan Nasional members of parliament Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad (Umno) and Khoo Soo Seang (MCA) are the incumbents for Johor Baru and Tebrau, respectively.
It is also believed that Lim would defend his Iskandar Puteri parliamentary seat while Akmal, who had started laying groundwork and campaigning, will contest here.
Lim will likely be challenged by BN candidate Datuk Jason Teoh, a local who has wide influence among the Chinese community in Iskandar Puteri.
Although he was not nominated in the last election to give way to an Umno candidate, Teoh, who is MCA Iskandar Puteri chief, will not hold back this time around.
Teoh, who has 23 years of political involvement, said he started as an ordinary MCA member.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, seen as a winnable candidate by BN, is expected to be fielded as candidate for the Pasir Gudang parliamentary and Permas state seats.
Universiti Malaya political analyst Associate Professor Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said Khaled’s experience and standing in the state would see him through in what is expected to be a tough fight in Johor. “He is a fighter who has experience at the state and federal levels. His position as menteri besar would depend much on how the political scenario in the country pans out after GE14.”