PENANG, 22 May 2009: The Penanti state by-election is likely to be a four-corner contest, with a candidate from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and three independents.
Nomination will take place tomorrow at the National Youth Skills Institute (IKBN) in Penanti. Polling is on 31 May.
PKR has named Penang PKR liaison deputy chief Mansor Othman, 56, as its candidate. The independent candidates are likely to be businessman Mohd Saberi Othman, 49, former Penang Parti Keadilan Nasional Wanita chief Aminah Abdullah, 56, and manufacturing company manager Nai Khan Ari, 41.
Mansor had contested the Pulau Betong state seat in the 2008 general election, and lost to Muhamad Farid Saad of Barisan Nasional (BN).
Nai, who has collected a nomination form, is expected to announce his candidacy today.
The by-election is being held following the resignation of incumbent assemblyperson and former deputy chief minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin.
The excitement of a by-election seems to be lacking as the BN is skipping this contest because it feels it is not an election provided for by the constitution and that it came about owing to an internal problem in PKR.
Penanti has 15,384 registered voters, 72.68% of whom are Malay Malaysians, 24.22% Chinese Malaysians, 2.39% Indian Malaysian and 0.71% from other communities. — Bernama
