Zahid faces three-way fight in defending Bagan Datuk seat

BAGAN DATUK: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is facing a threecornered fight for the Bagan Datuk parliamentary constituency in the 14th General Election (GE14) on May 9.

The BN deputy chairman, who has held the seat for six terms since 1995, is facing PKR candidate Pakhrurrazi Arshad and Ata Abdul Muneim Hasan Adli of PAS.

Bagan Datuk returning officer Datuk Hamzah Husin confirmed their nomination and made the announcement before the supporters of the three candidates at the nomination centre in Sekolah Menengah Sains Bagan Datuk here.

Ibrahim Mat Zin, better known as Raja Bomoh, who previously announced he would contest in the Bagan Datuk parliamentary seat did not turn up until the end of the nomination process at 10 am.

In a media conference, Ahmad Zahid said that Raja Bomoh did not contest due to bankruptcy.

Earlier the deputy prime minister handed over his nomination papers at the nomination centre at the Dewan Gemilang Sekolah Menengah Sains Bagan Datoh here at 9 am.

He was accompanied by his proposer R. Supramaniam, who is also Bagan Datuk MIC chief and seconder Bagan Datuk MCA chairman, Ang Kim Chong @ Ang Poon Beng.

Prior to this, Ahmad Zahid, who donned a dark blue baju Melayu attire, and accompanied by BN candidates for Rungkup state seat Datuk Shahrul Zaman Yahya and Hutan Melintang state seat Datuk Khairuddin Tarmizi arrived at the nomination centre at 8.40 am.

The three BN candidates along with 5,000 supporters marched from the Teedo Resort construction site here to the nomination centre.

In GE13, Ahmad Zahid defeated PKR candidate Madhi Hasan in a straight fight with a majority of 2,108 votes.

Meanwhile Shahrul Zaman, who is defending the Rungkup state seat will be facing Hatim Musa (PKR) and Mohd Mohkheri Jalil (PAS) in a three-cornered fight.

In the Hutan Melintang state seat, Bagan Datuk UMNO Division deputy chief, Datuk Khairuddin Tarmizi is facing PKR candidate, G. Manivannan and Mohd Misbahul Munir Masduki (PAS).

In the GE13, Shahrul won the Rungkup state seat with a majority of 613 votes while the Hutan Melintang state seat was won by PKR’s S. Kesavan, who has switched to the Sg Siput parliamentary seat, with a 1,240 majority vote. - Bernama