SHAH ALAM, July 21 — After completing the nomination process today, the three candidates for the Sg Kandis state by-election are devising strategies to win the hearts of voters, to gain support to be given the mandate as the people’s representative.

They and their respective party machineries, in particular Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and Barisan Nasional (BN) immediately started to campaign for the Sungai Kandis by-election which has 51,230 registered voters, comprising 51,217 ordinary voters and 13 overseas absentee voters.

PKR candidate, Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni is determined to see the continuity of the party’s services in the state constituency.

Asking voters to give PKR another mandate on polling day on Aug 4, the principal of Maahad Tahfiz Al Fateh in Jalan Kebun said mandate and trust were important to ensure PKR could continue to protect and maintain the welfare of the people in the state constituency.

The 47-year-old candidate, affectionately called Ustaz Zawawi said the welfare programme implemented by the PKR-led state government such as the ‘Inisiatif Peduli Rakyat’ (People Care Initiative) among others, covers the payment towards the Selangor children’s heritage fund,  financial assistance for entrepreneurs and death benefits that are critical for the continued well-being of the people.

"The preparation for the campaign has been 100 per cent... we will next move to meet the voters. It is hoped the voters will continue to vote for us so that we can continue the welfare programmes for the people,” he told reporters after submitting the nomination form for the Sungai Kandis by-election at the Dewan Besar Tanjung, Shah Alam City Council here, today.

Zawawi, who is PKR’s Religious Understanding and Consolidation Bureau secretary will face BN candidate Datuk Lokman Noor Adam and Independent candidate K. Murthy.

Lokman Noor, 45, said he was working to ensure that all the problems of the people in Sungai Kandis would be redressed with the help of BN’s insistence and pressure as the Opposition party.

"We will have a manifesto framework not to form the state government because even if I win, I will still be in the Opposition. We know that Sungai Kandis has many problems such as flooding, garbage collection, dengue and so on.

"My struggle is to ensure that everything promised by the PH government in the last general election is fulfilled and if I am given the mandate, I will assist and demand for it,” he said.

He said voters should be wise when making a choice on Aug 4 as additional opposition figures in the state assembly play an important role to ensure that there is an element of checks and balances in the administration.

Meanwhile, K. Murthy, who decided to stand as an Independent candidate yesterday morning, said he aims to devotedly serve the people of Selangor.

The 60-year-old Selangor government pensioner who once did administrative work, said he wants to continue contributing to the Selangor government, and this time, through the state legislative assembly as an assemblyman.

The Sungai Kandis by-election is being held following the death of PKR incumbent Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei from lymphoma cancer on July 2. —  Bernama