PERMATANG PAUH, April 26 — Voters in Permatang Pauh do not want a younger candidate and are still big fans of PKR choice Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, a party leader said today.
Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin said that a poll conducted by the party revealed that many are still in favour of Wan Azizah who held the constituency from 1999 to 2008.
“That’s not true,” he said when asked if voters preferred a younger candidate.
“Based on our voters survey, 40 per cent of the voters strongly support Datuk Seri Wan Azizah and more than 58 per cent support the calon (candidate) from PKR and Pakatan Rakyat,” Sim told reporters at a press conference at the PR Permatang Pauh media centre.
Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said that the age of the candidate did not matter as long as the candidate championed issues that are close to the hearts of the voters.
“I think it is important to have the right mindset to represent the young, and we want a representative, whether it is the people of Permatang Pauh or even myself as a voter, that can actively speak up to defend my rights as a tax-paying voter, as a citizen of this country,” she said.
“So more than that, it is our challenge to convince everybody that every or any candidate from Pakatan Rakyat will stand firm in voicing out in defence of the people’s plight,” she added.
The Election Commission announced yesterday that voters will have the choice of PKR’s Dr Wan Azizah, Barisan Nasional’s Suhaimi Sabudin, PRM’s Azman Shah Othman or independent Salleh Isahak come polling day on May 7.
The Permatang Pauh seat was vacated after PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was imprisoned in February over a charge of sodomising his former aide.
Permatang Pauh has been a PKR stronghold since Dr Wan Azizah led the party to regain the seat in the 1999 general election.
A total of 71,890 registered voters in Permatang Pauh will cast their vote for their new MP on May 7, while early polls are on May 3.
