Lone man makes it a threecornered fight in Sungai Kandis.
Man walks in to register as independent candidate and vanishes silently
SHAH ALAM: Amidst the clash of giants Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan, a lone man walked into the Sungai Kandis by-election nomination centre and filed his papers to contest as an independent.
Nothing much is known about Murthi Krishnasamy as he vanished as silently as he appeared soon after returning officer Datuk Ahmad Zaharin Mohd Saad announced and confirmed the candidates’ names.
The nomination was held at the Shah Alam City Council’s Dewan Teratai in Section 19 here yesterday.
Another unexpected almost-candidate was Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) member Ahmad Kamaruddin who prepared to file his papers but backed out after confirming a candidate from Barisan was contesting.
“A decision was made just now by our president that the by-election should be a direct fight between Pakatan and Barisan and I too feel it is important for it to be a straight fight,” he said.
Ahmad, 41, had also contested in the last general election for the Bukit Antarabangsa state seat, which was won by Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, and had received 116 votes.
The Sungai Kandis state seat fell vacant after the death of assemblyman Mat Shuhaimi Shafie on July 2 from lymphoma.
Pakatan candidate Zawawi Ahmad Mughni and his Barisan opponent Datuk Lokman Noor Adam filed their nomination papers at 9.08am and 9.09am respectively.
This was followed by Murthi, who filed his papers almost half-anhour later.
PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Azmin, Selangor Mentri Besar Amirudin Shari and Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar were among those present at the nomination centre.
Barisan leaders in attendance included Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Selangor Umno chief Tan Sri Noh Omar, his deputy Datuk Mat Nadzari Ahmad Dahlan and party secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa, among others.
Speaking to reporters outside the nomination hall, Azmin, who is also Selangor PKR chief, said Zawawi was the most suitable candidate to continue Mat Shuhaimi’s legacy.
He also brushed aside speculation that Zawawi was arbitrarily selected by Dr Wan Azizah.
“In PKR and Pakatan, we constantly discuss and make decisions collectively because a decision made with consensus becomes a firm decision,’’ said Azmin. Azmin also said PKR’s top leadership was there because of the commitment to retain the Sungai Kandis seat.
Meanwhile, Mohamad reiterated that Lokman was the most suitable candidate to take on Pakatan in Sungai Kandis.
He said Lokman would also be able to raise the many issues which were currently making the people disgruntled with the Pakatan government.
Mohamad said if Lokman wins and becomes a member of the Selangor legislative assembly, he will effectively become the voice of the people and it would also help Barisan gauge the extent of the people’s dissatisfaction.
“We will also be able to get a baseline on the disenchantment amongst the people,” said Mohamad, adding that Pakatan must also be made to realise that it cannot take the people for “granted or for a ride”.
Mat Shuhaimi won the Sungai Kandis seat with a 12,480-vote majority in GE14.
Polling is on Aug 4.