66 SEATS ARE THREE-CORNERED FIGHT IN PERAK
21 parliamentary, 45 state seats to see clashes between BN, PKR and Pas
MORE than two-thirds of the parliamentary and state seats in Perak will witness three-cornered clashes between Barisan Nasional, PKR and Pas in the 14th General Election (GE14).
The three-cornered fights involve 66 seats, with 21 parliamentary seats and 45 state seats, compared with GE13, which only involved 24 constituencies, 19 state and five parliamentary constituencies.
It has indirectly raised the number of candidates contesting to 242 people, involving 171 state assemblymen candidates and 71 parliamentary candidates.
Figures show there is an increase of 48 candidates compared with the 194 people contesting in GE13 (139 people in state seats and 55 in parliamentary seats).
One-on-one clashes only involve 12 Chinese-majority seats in Ipoh Barat and Ipoh Timur parliamentary constituencies, as well as Pokok Assam, Jalong, Aulong, Canning, Pasir Pinji, Bercham, Kepayang, Keranji, Pantai Remis and Astaka, formerly known as Sitiawan.
It is different compared with GE13, which saw 57 areas with straight fights (38 state and 18 parliamentary constituencies).
Four-cornered fights in this general election will take place in the Sungai Siput parliamentary constituency as well as in Batu Kurau, Changkat Jong, Hulu Kinta and Sungai Manik.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who had previously faced a oneon-one clash with PKR candidates, will be facing a three-cornered fight with PKR candidate Pakhrurrazi Arshad and Pas, which has chosen the son of a former Pas leader and ex-minister, Ata Abdul Muneim Hasan Adli, as a candidate.
Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, who will be contesting two seats, Lumut parliamentary seat and Pangkor state seat, will face a three-cornered fight for both seats. The attention would be in Lumut with PKR fielding former Kuala Krai member of parliament Mohd Hatta Ramli, who is a Sitiawan native. Other hot areas include the Teluk Intan parliamentary constituency, held by its incumbent, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong, is challenged by Perak DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming, also in a threecornered fight.
In Parit Buntar, former state secretary, who is also Perak Football Association (PAFA) president Datuk Seri Abdul Puhat Mat Nayan is challenged by the twoterm incumbent candidate, who is also Parti Amanah Negara (PAN) vice-president, Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa.
For Sungai Siput parliamentary constituency, Dr Micheal Jeyakumar Devaraj will face a huge challenge to defend his two-term seat, which he won in a four-cornered clash involving MIC deputy president, who is also Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri S.K. Devamany, and former PKR Hutang Melintang assemblyman S. Kesavan.
Among the big names who will defend their seats are Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz at the Padang Rengas parliamentary seat; Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin (Larut MP); Deputy Agriculture and Agrobased Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (Pasir Salak MP) and Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk M. Saravanan (Tapah Parliamentary seat).
Attention is also on the return of former finance minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, who will defend the Tambun parliamentary seat, despite announcing his retirement and resignation from all political positions about two years ago.
The Tanjung Malim parliamentary seat also steals the limelight, when International Trade and Industry II Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan, who was not nominated for his seat, was present at the nomination centre to support Perak MCA chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon in the seat.