Talk rife over two ‘PKR Five’ reps dropped

They were among abstainers in Penang land reclamation vote

GEORGE TOWN: All is not well in Parti Keadilan Rakyat – several incumbents are expected to be dropped and there is talk of a new Deputy Chief Minister I.

With at least two of the ‘ PKR Five’ assemblymen expected to be dropped as candidates in the next general election, the search for new candidates has begun.

Penanti assemblyman Dr Norlela Ariffin, when contacted, said some party officials had relayed to her late last year that her name was not on the list of candidates.

Dr Norlela, Ong Chin Wen (Bukit Tengah), Cheah Kah Peng (Kebun Bunga), Dr T. Jayabalan (Batu Uban) and Lee Khai Loon (Machang Bubok) were dubbed the “PKR Five” after they abstained in the vote against a motion on land reclamation tabled by a Barisan Nasional assemblyman in the state assembly meeting in November 2015.

According to sources, PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who was recently appointed strategic adviser to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, could be a possible candidate for Penanti.

When asked to comment on any shake-up in PKR Penang, Ong said the assemblymen were not privy to certain information and plans by the party leadership.

State PKR vice-chairman Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon, who is also Deputy Chief Minister I, said it was too early to discuss the list of candidates but all one-term assemblymen can expect to be re-nominated.

The sources said Mohd Rashid has a good relationship with the Chief Minister but he is looked upon as being too accommodating to DAP by PKR grassroots members.

Pantai Jerejak and Batu Maung on the island, as well as Penanti and Seberang Jaya on the mainland, could be hard fought battle grounds for Umno and PKR in the general election.

“Umno sensed that all is not well in Penang PKR and they are confident of wresting the four seats if the snap election planned by Lim last year did happen,” added the sources.

Pantai Jerejak is presently held by Mohd Rashid while the Batu Maung and Seberang Jaya seats are held by state executive councillors Datuk Abdul Malik Abul Kassim and Dr Afif Bahardin respectively.