Rivals for Tioman seat, possible allies for the state

Pahang Perikatan Nasional and Barisan Nasional are set to clash in the Tioman election even as both coalitions say they are still in talks to form the state government.

Pahang Perikatan chairman Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah announced that housewife Nor Idayu Hashim, 35, from PAS, was selected as its candidate for the Tioman election, which has been set for Dec 7.

He added that state PAS commissioner Rosli Abdul Jabar had submitted the name of its candidate.

“Nor Idayu is a grassroots leader and she will represent the voices of women in the Pahang state assembly,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Nor Idayu, born in Felda Jengka 13 in Maran, holds a diploma in accounting from UITM Machang, Kelantan, according to Bernama.

She is Tioman PAS Youth leader Muhammad Daud’s wife. They have three children.

Meanwhile, Pahang Amanah chairman Zulkifli Mohamed reportedly said Pakatan Harapan would retain its GE15 candidate Mohd Fadzli Mohd Ramly for Tioman.

The election for Tioman was suspended last Saturday following the death of Perikatan candidate Md Yunus Ramli.

Md Yunus was in a five-cornered fight with Barisan’s incumbent assemblyman Datuk Seri Mohd Johari Hussain, Pakatan’s Mohd Fadzli, Pejuang’s Osman Bakar and Independent candidate Sulaiman Bakar.

Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh said that nominations for Tioman would be held today.

Early voting will be on Dec 3. He added that the estimated cost of the election would be about Rm3mil.

The Pahang state assembly is still hanging in the balance with none of the three coalitions – Barisan, Pakatan and Perikatan – having the simple majority to form the state government.

Perikatan holds 17 state seats, Barisan has 16 and Pakatan eight.

Tioman has become even more crucial for Barisan. If it were to win the seat, then it will have 17 seats with Perikatan.

Talks are now ongoing between PAS deputy president Datuk Seri

Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and state Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail on forming the state government.

Yesterday, The Star reported Pakatan’s Teruntum assemblyman Sim Chon Siang as saying that the state Pakatan was still in discussions with Barisan.

However, he added that it was “very possible” that Pahang Pakatan would join forces with Barisan in the new state government.

Separately Tuan Ibrahim, the newly-elected Cheka assemblyman, posted a picture of himself in a group photo with Wan Rosdy on Facebook yesterday.

Tioman has 28,465 voters, consisting of 28,200 ordinary voters, 262 police personnel and three absentee voters abroad.