Sunday May 5, 2013

GE13: Permatang Pauh and Bagan the seats to watch in Penang

GEORGE TOWN: The outcome of the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat will be keenly watched as it is contested by PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

His main opponent is Barisan Nasional's Dr Mazlan Ismail, a former vice-president of Telekom Malaysia.

Dr Mazlan, from Kubang Ulu, was the Penang PAS election machinery director from 1999 to 2004.

He was state PAS Youth chief for 14 years.

He joined Umno in 2004 and is an ordinary member of the party.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had campaigned for Dr Mazlan in Permatang Pauh.

All eyes will also be in the Bagan parliamentary constituency, which is contested by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who is Penang Chief Minister.

DAP national chairman Karpal Singh is defending his Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat.

State Umno chairman Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman is contesting against state PKR chairman Datuk Mansor Osman in Nibong Tebal.

Two Umno strongholds Kepala Batas and Tasek Gelugor are said to be shaky because of candidacy problems.

Barisan is expected to wrest back the Balik Pulau parliamentary seat, which it lost by a mere 708 votes the last time.

Although it lost the seat, Barisan won all the three state seats there Pulau Betong, Teluk Bahang and Bayan Lepas.

For more election stories, please visit The Star's GE13 site

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