REMBAU: Rantau state seat incumbent and Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan became the first candidate in the country to win the seat unopposed following the failure of PKR candidate, Dr S Streram to submit his nomination paper at Dewan Sri Rembau.
During the announcement after the nomination process ended today, Election Commission’s (EC) returning officer for Rembau Parliament constituency, Amino Agus Suyub, said only Mohamad submitted the nomination papers for the seat.
The PKR candidate was denied entry into the nomination center for failing to bring his candidate’s pass, while his proposer and seconder were also not allowed to enter as they didn’t possess the EC passes.
Mohamad who is also Negri Sembilan BN chairman, has been contesting the seat since the 11th general election (GE11) in 2004 and had defeated PKR candidate Badrul Hisham Shaharin or better known as Chegubard with a majority of 6,199 votes.
Mohamad continued to maintain a sterling record by defeating PKR candidate Aishah Lamsah, twice in a row in GE12 and GE13, with a majority of 4,613 votes and 3,783 votes respectively.
Meanwhile, a total of 124 candidates involving BN, PKR, PAS, PAP and Independent parties submitted their nomination forms with 25 candidates contesting at eight parliamentary seats and 130 candidates to contest at 36 state seats.
The four-cornered fight took will take place in four seats namely Jeram Padang state seat, Sikamat, Labu and Rasah parliamentary seat, while a four-cornered fight will involve, Bukit Kepayang state seat and Chuah, Lukut and Bagan Pinang state seat, while the remaining seats will see a three-cornered fight.
Among the seats highlighted are Rembau parliamentary seat, which will see its incumbent Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar contesting against Mustafa Dolah (PAS) and Roseli Abdul Ghani (PKR).
Seremban Parliamentary seat will witness MCA Youth chief Datuk Chong Sin Woon contesting DAP National organization head, Loke Siew Fook and Shariffuddin Ahmad (PAS).
Competition in the Port Dickson parliamentary constituency is equally interesting when PKR decided to change its candidate to Danyal Balagopal Abdullah at the eleventh hour.
He will contest against National MIC Information Chief, Datuk V.S Mogan and Negri Sembilan PAS Youth Deputy Chief Mahfuz Roslan.
Among the highlighted state seats include Sikamat which will see stiff fight among Syamsul Amri Ismail, better known as Syamsul Debat (BN), state PKR chairman Aminudin Harun, besides Rahim Yusof (PAS) and Bujang Abu (Independent).
In addition, Jeram Padang state seat saw the head of MIC Taman Awana Indah, Jempol, Datuk Seri Dr S Surash, quit the party to contest as Independent candidate, against state MIC chairman Datuk L Manickam; Mohd Fairuz Mohd Isa (PAS) and S Musnaldi Sabtu (PKR).
The Klawang, Ampangan and Pilah state seats are also considered as hot seats as BN had only won with a small majority in the last GE13, garnering only 282, 89 and 113 votes respectively.