PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Pas will go head-to-head in the Seri Setia state by-election on Sept 8.
PH is fielding former Petaling Jaya City Council member Halimey Abu Bakar, 46; while Pas’s candidate is former Selangor state executive council member, Dr Halimah Ali, 58.
Returning officer Datuk Mohd Azizi Mohd Zain made the announcement at 10.37am today at the nomination centre at Dewan Sivik Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) here.
Mohd Azizi said the PH candidate’s nomination paper was received at 9.10am, while Pas’s candidates’ was submitted at 9.15am.
The nomination period, which began at 9am, ended at 10am.
Earlier, leaders and supporters from both parties gathered as early as 7.30 am to lend support to their respective candidates.
Halimey arrived at the nomination centre at about 7.40 am, accompanied by her family members and among leaders present in a show of support for her were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin and Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari.
Dr Halimah, who arrived at 9 am, was accompanied to the polling centre by party supporters who included deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, vice-president Datuk Iskandar Abdul Samad and secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan.
Among those seen present to lend support to her were several UMNO leaders, including vice-president and Selangor UMNO liaison chief Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
The heavy rain did not hamper the spirit of supporters from both parties to gather and accompany their respective candidate to the nomination centre.
The Seri Setia state by-election was called following the death of its incumbent assemblyman Prof Dr Shaharuddin Badaruddin last Aug 2 due to colon cancer.
In the 14th general election on May 9, Shaharuddin , of PKR, obtained 29,250 votes and defeated BN candidate Datuk Yusoff HM Haniff, who obtained 9,878 votes, PAS’ Mohd Ghazali Daud (4,563 votes) and Independent candidate Dr S. Vignes (217 votes).
A total of 895 election workers were appointed to handle the Seri Setia by-election, estimated to cost RM1.59 million.
The Seri Setia state constituency has 53,492 registered voters, comprising 50,692 ordinary voters, early voters (2,770) and 30 absentee voters. -- BERNAMA