KT: Pas To Announce Candidate On Jan 1 - Malaysiakini

PAS will announce its candidate for the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary by-election on Jan 1 at the Stadium Negeri, according to Malaysiakini quoting Bernama.

Party president, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said the party had already identified its candidate who is a professional and people-oriented.

"We already have a candidate...(it's) in my pocket, Insya-Allah...wait for Jan 1 (for the announcement)," he said after chairing a special meeting of the PAS Central Committee at the Pusat Tarbiyah PAS Kuala Terengganu, Sunday.

Also present were PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa and PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub.

Abdul Hadi said the PAS candidate is more qualified than the candidate fielded by Barisan Nasional (BN).

On Saturday, Deputy Premier Datuk Najib Tun Razak named Wan Ahmad Farid, 46, who is deputy home minister, as the BN candidate for the by-election. His selection was not a surprise due to his popularity in Terengganu.

The seat fell vacant following the death of deputy education minister Datuk Razali Ismail on Nov 28.

Razali had garnered 32,562 votes against Mohamad Sabu from PAS, who got 31,934 votes, while independent candidate Maimun Yusof obtained 685 votes in the March general elections.

KT: PAS umum calon 1 Januari
Dec 21, 08 6:19pm

PAS akan hanya mengumumkan calonnya untuk bertanding dalam pilihanraya kecil Parlimen Kuala Terengganu, pada 1 Januari depan di Stadium Negeri di Kuala Terengganu.

Pada mulanya, PAS dijangka mengumumkan nama calonnya hari ini, selepas Barisan Nasional (BN) mengumumkan semalam pemilihan Timbalan Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh untuk bertanding dalam pilihanraya kecil tersebut.

Presiden PAS Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang berkata pada masa ini, parti itu telah menentukan calonnya itu, yang merupakan seorang profesional dan berjiwa rakyat, lapor Bernama.

"Kita sudah ada calon...dalam poket saya, Insya-Allah...tunggu 1 Januari depan (kita umumkan)," katanya selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat khas Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat di Pusat Tarbiyah PAS Kuala Terengganu hari ini.

Turut hadir Timbalan Presiden PAS Nasharuddin Mat Isa dan Ketua Pemuda PAS Salahuddin Ayub.

Abdul Hadi berkata calon yang akan diketengahkan oleh PAS itu merupakan seorang yang lebih layak daripada calon yang ditampilkan oleh Barisan Nasional (BN).

Beliau berkata calon PAS itu adalah individu yang mempunyai ketokohan daripada pelbagai aspek dan yakin akan dapat diterima oleh pengundi di kawasan Parlimen Kuala Terengganu.

Semalam, Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak mengumumkan pemilihan Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh sebagai calon BN.

Ditanya mengapa PAS mengambil masa yang lama untuk mengumumkan calonnya berbanding BN, Abdul Hadi berkata PAS tidak mahu terikut-ikut dengan cara BN dan tidak tergesa-gesa untuk berbuat demikian.

"Tidak lama, penamaan calon pun lambat lagi (6 Januari)," katanya dan menurutnya kelewatan pengumuman calon itu tidak akan meresahkan penyokong PAS kerana pada masa ini mereka begitu bersemangat menjalankan tanggungjawab dalam menghadapi pilihanraya kecil itu... Continue here

Read Shamsul Yunus's entry : Good luck BN . And, yes, I agree with him that KJ ( the s.i.l.) should be kept out of KT during the the campaign if BN wants to win this by-election.

Permatang Pauh: It’s a three-cornered fight

It will be a three-corner fight among Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah of Barisan Nasional (BN), Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim) president Hanafi Mamat for the Permatang Pauh Parlliamentary by=election on Aug 26.

Returning officer Roslan Yahaya announced the candidates at the nomination centre at the Tuanku Bainun Teaching Institute here at 11.45am after the objection period ended at 11am.

He said five objections were received but none of the nominations was rejected.

Asked by reporters later about the nomination of a fourth candidate, Dr Mansor Othman, former Penang PKR chairman, he said Dr Mansor withdrew his nomination without giving any reason before the candidates were announced.

However, he lost his deposit because he withdrew after the nomination period ended at 10am, Roslan said."Any candidate can withdraw his nomination within the next three days," he added.

According to Malaysiakini his candidacy was part of a PKR contingency plan in the event of Anwar's nomination being rejected.

As it stands now, PKR's Anwar looks a sure bet to win this seat which was vacated by his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail on July 31. It was a move to get Anwar back into Parliament after an absence of 10 years.(BN expects a tough fight but BN confident of victory: read here )

His most potent challenger is still BN's Arif Shah Omar Shah, a local man just like Anwar, as well as the incumbent Seberang Jaya state representative.The third candidate is Hanafi Hamat, the president of PAS splinter party Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim).

Arif Shah, 51, was the first to submit his nomination form.Dressed in a yellow baju Melayu, he was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to the nomination centre at Dewan Aminuddin Baki of the Tuanku Bainun Teaching Institute.

He submitted his nomination papers to returning officer Roslan Yahaya as soon as the centre opened at 9am.He was followed by Anwar who wore a light blue baju Melayu.

The opposition icon once again exuded confidence in winning the seat as he entered the nomination centre at about 9.05am

"I feel good", Anwar replied when asked by Malaysiakini how he felt about contesting again after 10 years in hiatus.

Senior to Arif Shah by 10 years, Anwar was the Permatang Pauh division chief at the time the former was its youth chief.

At the nomination centre today, the former deputy premier looked cheerful in the presence of his wife, children, Pakatan leaders and thousands of his supporters.

Also present was PAS' spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat, who despite being unwell still insisted on being there.

BN also had a strong presence. Seen lending their support today were Gerakan acting president Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who is also Penang BN chairperson, MIC president S Samy Vellu, MCA vice-president Ong Tee Keat, BN Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein, Wanita Umno vice-head Shahrizat Jalil and Umno information head Muhammad Muhamad Taib. - malaysiakini

More reports on nomination day go here, here and here .

Picture : Courtesy of the Star: The BN Candidate Arif Shah (left) shaking hands with PKR candidate Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (right) and Independent candidate Hanafi Hamat,61, (centre) looks on after completing their nomination at Maktab Perguruan Tuanku Bainun in Mengkuang, Bukit Mertajam, Saturday.