PONTIAN, Nov 8 — Tanjung Piai by-election hopeful Karmaine Sardini said Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) decision to field him as a candidate was made unanimously, unlike his main opponent in Barisan Nasional (BN).
“PH has selected me as the candidate of choice. But you can see from the other side (BN), Umno and MCA were at loggerheads on who to choose in representing their coalition.
“Umno wants their candidate, MCA also wants their candidate,” said Karmaine during a dinner with local Chinese organisations at Hai Kee Hall along Jalan Johor here tonight.
Also present was Johor PH chief Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president. They were joined by more than 700 attendees.
Karmaine added that he is a local Tanjung Piai resident and PH’s candidate for all races.
“I urge the voters to pick me (for the upcoming Tanjung Piai by-election). My number is four (4), Karmaine Sardini a candidate for PH,” he said.
Meanwhile, in his speech, Muhyiddin reminded voters that only a representative from the ruling PH government can help the constituents.
He remarked that BN’s candidate Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng could not do so due to being in the Opposition bloc.
The Tanjung Piai by-election will see a six-cornered contest between PH’s Karmaine, BN’s Wee, Gerakan’s Wendy Subramaniam, Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia’s (Berjasa) Datuk Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz and two independent candidates Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abdul Ghaffar.
The by-election was called following the death of incumbent PH’s Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik from Parti Pribimi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) on September 21.
The Election Commission (EC) has set early voting on November 12, while polling is on November 16.
