Welcome: Tan (left) greeting Chow before submitting their nominations at the Seberang Prai vocational college in Bukit Mertajam, and Goh (inset). — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
NIBONG TEBAL: A “ghost” from DAP’s past in Penang showed up to offer himself as an Independent candidate for the Nibong Tebal parliamentary seat.
Goh Kheng Huat, 60, turned up at the nomination centre here and submitted his papers yesterday, becoming a candidate in a four-cornered fight.
Goh, who was DAP’s Nibong Tebal MP from 1999 to 2004, had issues with the party in 2002, which had branded him a renegade and issued a warning letter for disobeying a directive barring members from helping PKR in a by-election in Kedah then.
He’s back now, said the local, despite being out of politics for 15 years because his friends in Nibong Tebal urged him to contest.
“They told me they were disappointed with previous governments and they want to choose a leader they know from our town instead of voting for parties,” he claimed.
He faces Fadhlina Sidek from Pakatan Harapan, incumbent Datuk Mansor Othman from Perikatan Nasional, and Datuk Seri RS Thanenthiran from Barisan Nasional.
Goh’s surprise entry aside, the nomination process in every parliamentary constituency on mainland Penang went smoothly yesterday.
Nurul Izzah Anwar (Pakatan) is defending her Permatang Pauh seat against Barisan’s Datuk Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said, Perikatan’s Muhammad Fawwaz Muhammad Jan, and Gerakan Tanah Air’s (GTA) Nasir Othman.
Incumbent Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng is defending his three-term seat against Barisan’s Dr Tan Chuan Hong, Perikatan’s Alan Oh @ Oh Teik Choon and GTA’s Mohammed Hafiz Mohamed Abu Bakar.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow recovered from Covid-19 in time to make his way to the nomination centre in Batu Kawan, where he is in a five-cornered fight with Barisan’s Datuk Tan Lee Huat, former Bukit Tengah assemblyman Ong Chin Wen, Perikatan’s Wong Chia Zhen and Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s (PRM) Lee Ah Liang.
Incumbent Kepala Batas MP Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican is squaring off against two newcomers – GTA’s Hamidi Abu Hassan and Muda’s Daniel Abdul Majeed – as well as Perikatan’s Siti Mastura Muhammad, who also stood in 2018.
On the island, one of the keenly watched parliamentary seats here, Bayan Baru, will see a six-cornered battle featuring some political bigwigs.
The incumbent from PKR, Sim Tze Tzin, who won with a majority of 37,751 votes in 2018, will be going up against Perikatan’s Oh Tong Keong, Warisan’s Jeff Ooi, and Barisan’s Saw Yee Fung.
Others in the running are PRM candidate Ravinder Singh, said to be the oldest candidate in Penang at 80, and Independent candidate Kan Chee Yuen.
Sim, a two-term MP and one-term assemblyman, is a former deputy agriculture and agro-based industry minister while Oh is Gerakan deputy president and Penang Perikatan deputy chairman.
Sim said he was cautiously optimistic of his chances as he has been here for the past 10 years and the people know him.
Oh said it was time for a new person to take over Bayan Baru and address serious issues such as floods.Despite being only 33 years old, MCA candidate Saw has served as the private secretary to former deputy Women, Family and Community Development minister Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun.
She also held several posts in Pahang MCA before being appointed the party spokesman.
“Being the only female candidate and the youngest as well, I am excited at being given the opportunity to empower youth and women,” she said.
Ooi said after a four-year political hiatus, he was glad to be back, representing Warisan this time around.
“I have been on the ground for the past 10 months and understand the people’s needs,” he said.
Former teacher and lecturer Ravinder, who studied law after his retirement, used to work for the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) as head of its complaints department.
“I believe my age and experience can contribute to what Bayan Baru needs,” he said.
Besides Bayan Baru, two other seats – Balik Pulau and Jelutong – will also see six-cornered fights.
In addition to Batu Kawan, there are also five-cornered battles in Tasek Gelugor and Bukit Bendera while four seats – Bagan, Permatang Pauh, Nibong Tebal and Kepala Batas – face four-cornered tussles.
Bukit Mertajam, Tanjong and Bukit Gelugor will host three-cornered fights.
