Rantau by-election: Dr Streram suitable candidate, says Anwar

SHAH ALAM: Dr S. Streram is the suitable candidate to contest in the Rantau state by- election, said PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said this was because Dr Streram, who is Rembau PKR vice-head, was denied his right to contest for the seat in the last general election.

“That was why he ( Dr Streram) challenged the result (victory for Barisan Nasional ) in court and he won.

“I hope this will be considered by the PKR leaders in Negeri Sembilan and its political bureau,” he said in his speech at the 13th PKR National Congress at the Ideal Convention Centre ( IDCC) here yesterday.

Anwar said the fact that there were many voters among the Indian community in Rantau should be considered.

He said PKR was the only party accepted by the Indian community, who regard it as their “platform of hope”.

Last Friday, a Special Election Court declared Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan’s unopposed election as the Rantau state assemblyman in the 14th general election null and void and ordered an immediate by- election.

This followed an election petition filed by Dr Streram on May 23 seeking a by- election for the seat because he claimed that Mohamad’s election was not valid.

Mohamad, who is Umno deputy president, won the seat unopposed after Dr Streram, who is an anaesthetist, was prohibited from entering the nomination centre on April 28 because he did not have a pass issued by the Election Commission ( EC). — Bernama