PORT DICKSON, Oct 14 — All six who “tried their luck” against Pakatan Harapan candidate Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in yesterday’s Port Dickson by-election have accepted the verdict of the voters.

They thanked the voters who cast ballots in their favour even through for some of them it was their maiden election foray.

The only non-independent challenger, Lt Col (Rtd) Mohd Nazari Mokhtar, from PAS, said that even though the result did not favour him, it augured well for PAS-Umno cooperation in the Opposition bloc.

Kan Chee Yuen, a management consultant, meanwhile, said the PKR president-elect’s victory was a foregone conclusion while former private university lecturer Lau Seck Yan, the sole woman candidate, said that the “people had spoken”.

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“Congratulations to all who contested... this is a celebration of democracy… all came (to contest) in the hope of serving the people and building a better Malaysia,” she told reporters after the results were announced at the Port Dickson Municipal Hall here last night.

Former Negri Sembilan mentri besar Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, who quit Umno to contest as an independent candidate, when contacted by Bernama, said that he accepted the outcome with an open heart.

“I wish to thank those who voted for me and I also congratulate Anwar on his victory,” he said.

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Anwar’s former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 33, who also stood as an independent, in a statement, said his defeat was just the beginning of his foray into politics.

Social media personality Stevie Chan Keng Leong, on his part, said he hoped the former deputy prime minister (Anwar) would deliver the goods now that he has been given the mandate by PD voters.

Anwar, 71, garnered 31,016 votes; Mohd Nazari (7,456 ); Saiful Bukhari (82); Mohd Isa (4,230); Lau (214 ); Stevie Chan (337) and Kan (154). — Bernama