KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 ― A hopeful independent candidate had his wish to contest the Titiwangsa parliamentary seat in the 15th general election dashed after he turned up late for nomination earlier today.
Habib Bourguiba Abdul Hamid, 53, arrived a few minutes late at the nomination centre at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Aminuddin Baki, Kampung Pandan here.
This is after the Election Commission had announced the closure of registration for contesting candidates at 10am.
Habib Bourguiba, a person with visual impairment, blamed it on traffic congestion and road blockades but later conceded he bore no grudges for what transpired.
“When they made the announcement I was walking on foot here after arriving around 9.55am.
“The problem was that several road accesses here were cut off, so we had to turn here and there, but I bear no grudges,” the retiree told reporters briefly.
Asked about his campaign platform, Habib Bourguiba who hails from Kampung Datuk Keramat, said he wanted to champion for empowerment of persons with disabilities and orphans.
EC returning officer Firdzaus Said later met with Habib Bourguiba to provide an explanation, noting that he cannot make any exceptions as it is against the rules.
The Titiwangsa federal seat is set for a four-way fight between Barisan Nasional's Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani (Umno), Pakatan Harapan's incumbent Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad (Parti Amanah Negara), Perikatan Nasional's Dr Rosni Adam (PAS) and Gerakan Tanah Air's Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan (Parti Pejuang Tanah Air).
The EC has set November 19 as polling day while early voting is on November 15.
