4-cornered fight for Cameron Highlands’ seat

TANAH RATA - Four candidates are vying for the vacant Cameron Highlands’ parliamentary seat.

The by-election fight will be between Pakatan Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional (BN) and two independent candidates.

Those contesting are Pahang DAP deputy chairman M Manogaran, Umno’s Orang Asli candidate Ramli Mohd Nor, Sallehudin Ab Talib and Wong Seng Yee.

Their names were announced by returning officer Ishak Md Napis at the close of nominations at SMK Sultan Ahmad Shah, which served as a nomination centre.

“No nomination forms were rejected,” said Ishak.

Campaigning will last for 14 days. Early voting has been fixed for January 22, while polling is fixed for January 26.

A total of 32,009 registered voters, including 247 early voters and 12 absentee voters are eligible to vote. There are also 385 disabled voters.

The by-election was triggered by the Election Court’s annulment of Sivarraajh’s victory in the May 9 general election because it found evidence of vote buying.

This will be the fifth by-election to be called after the 14th general election (GE14).

Former senior police officer Ramli is not a member of any party. The decision to field Ramli, of Orang Asli descent, probably has to do with the fact that Orang Asli comprise about 22% of the electorate in the constituency.

Meanwhile, Manogaran reportedly said he hoped to see a clean and fair fight in the rematch for the Cameron Highlands’ parliamentary seat in this by-election.

He was quoted as wanting this by-election to be a trendsetter. “This is the reason why this by-election is held, for it to be conducted again in a clean and fair manner.

Sallehudin, 72, when met earlier said he was moved to contest in the by-election due to the long standing problems faced by the Felda settlers located in Sungai Koyan.

“I am the second generation of the Felda settlers, and there are still unsettled problems among the settlers such as debt issues. This is the only way I can voice their woes,” said the former lecturer.

Wong, 40, a Bertam Valley-based farmer said he would voice issues faced by local farmers.

Meanwhile, MyPPP president M Kayveas, who had earlier announced he would stand in the by-election, said today he would not do so.

Sivarraajh, who faced a five-corner fight in GE14, won the seat with 10,307 votes, while Manogaran garnered 9,710.

PAS’ candidate Wan Mahadir Wan Mahmud polled 3,587 votes, Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s (PSM) B Suresh Kumar (680), and Berjasa candidate Mohd Tahir Kassim (81).