Tanjung Piai by-election will be ‘a great test’ for Pakatan, says Loke

SEREMBAN, Sept 22 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) will strive to defend the Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat in the by-election that is due to be called following the death of incumbent Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik yesterday, according to DAP organising secretary Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

Loke, who is also Negri Sembilan DAP chairman, said all PH election machinery should work hard, both at the federal and state levels, to achieve that purpose.

“Soon, we have to face the challenges of a by-election and it will be a great test for us in PH. In appreciation of Dr Md Farid’s deeds and contributions, we must work hard and mobilise our election machinery to retain the seat,” he said in his speech at the Negri Sembilan DAP annual convention here today.

Also present were the party’s secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who is also the finance minister, Negri Sembilan PH Chairman Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun and leaders of state PH component parties.

While expressing his condolences to Dr Md Farid’s family, Loke, who is also transport minister, also described the death of the deputy national unity and social wellbeing minister in the Prime Minister’s Department as a great loss, not only to PH but also the country.

Earlier, all the delegates and leaders observed a minute of silence in remembrance of Dr Md Farid, 42, who died at the Pontion Hospital, Johor, believed due to a heart attack, yesterday. He was the Tanjung Piai Bersatu vice-chief.

He won the Tanjung Piai seat at the last general election by defeating incumbent Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng of MCA with a majority of 524 votes. — Bernama