AMPANG: Pandan parliament seat will see a five-cornered fight in the 15th General Election (GE15) including two former members of parliament, Rafizi Ramli and Tan Sri Ong Tee Keat.
Ong, former MCA president, who is contesting under Warisan ticket, was two-term Pandan MP from 2004 to 2013 before he was dropped as a candidate in GE13.
Rafizi, the Pakatan Harapan candidate, won the seat in GE13. He, however, could not defend the seat in 2018 after the Shah Alam Sessions Court found him guilty and sentenced him to 30-month jail for disclosing the details of four bank accounts relating to the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal.
The seat was contested and won by PKR adviser Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail with a 52,543-vote majority in GE14.
Also contesting in Pandan in GE15 are Datuk Leong Kok Wee representing Barisan Nasional, Perikatan Nasional's candidate Muhammad Farique Zubir Albakri, and Pejuang's candidate Nadia Hanafiah.
Returning officer Julaihah Jamaludin said all nomination forms submitted today were accepted.
"Perikatan Nasional Muhammad Farique submitted the form at 9.04am, Pejuang Nadia Hanafiah at 9.05am, Warisan Ong Tee Keat at 9.07am, Barisan Nasional Leong Kok Wee at 9.10am and Pakatan Harapan Mohd Rafizi Ramli at 9.20am.
"All the submissions are accepted, as such, five of these candidates will be contesting in P100 Pandan parliament seat," she told reporters after the nomination process.
She also urged voters to check where they would be voting, in advance.
"Total of voters has increased compared to GE14. As of August, 148,120 voters are registered in Pandan.
"Voters should also double check where they will vote and be encouraged to come at the suggested timing to avoid queuing," she said.
She added that there are 37 polling districts and 248 channels.
Meanwhile, everything is running smoothly at the Dewan Pandan Indah MPAJ nomination centre for the Pandan parliamentary seat.
It is learnt that 200 policemen are at the site to control the situation.
Federal police Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Abdul Jalil Hassan also visited the nomination centre.
There are designated areas for supporters to gather to prevent any untoward incidents.
Clad in their respective coalition colours, the party supporters accompanied the candidates to the permitted area before they walked into the nomination centre.
A total of 148,730 voters are expected to cast their votes on Nov 19.