ALOR SETAR: A total of 369 parliamentary candidates, including two-time prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, lost their deposits in the 15th General Election (GE15).
Contesting in Langkawi, the Pejuang chairman failed to defend the seat, securing only 4,566 out of 48,123 votes in a five-cornered contest.
His son Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, who is Pejuang president, also lost his deposit after obtaining less than one-eighth of the total number of votes in the Jerlun seat.
Other big names who had their deposits forfeited were former plantation industry and commodities minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin and former deputy communications and multimedia minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin.In Kedah, with Perikatan Nasional reigning supreme in GE15, a total of 27 candidates lost their deposits, with Pejuang being the biggest loser.
All the candidates from Pejuang (12), Warisan (four) and Independents (three) and Parti Rakyat Malaysia (one) lost their RM10,000 deposits.
Besides Dr Mahathir and Mukhriz, others in Pejuang who lost their money were Datuk Seri Amiruddin Hamzah (Kubang Pasu), Razali Lebai Salleh (Padang Terap), Datuk Nuhairi Rahmat (Alor Setar), Ulya Aqamah Husamudin (Kuala Kedah), Abdul Rashid Yob (Pendang), Datuk Mohd Nizam Mahshar (Jerai), Datuk Mohamed Mosin Abdul Razak (Merbok), Datuk Marzuki Yahya (Sungai Petani), Basir Ab Rahman (Baling) and Mohd Yusrizal Yusoff (Kulim-Bandar Baharu).
Independent Datuk Abdul Kadir Sainudin, 43, who contested the Langkawi seat, obtained only 89 votes, which was the least among candidates in Kedah.
The Johor-based businessman, however, said the setback will not stop him from contesting again in the general election.
“I want to represent the marginalised community in the country.
“I want to be the voice of the voiceless,” he said.
The other two Independent candidates who lost their election deposits were Sofan Feroza Md Yusup and Datuk Nordin Yunus, who both contested in the Alor Setar seat.
Pakatan Harapan was not spared either in this GE15 in Kedah, as six of the 14 candidates fielded lost their deposits.
They were Zabidi Yahya (Langkawi), Dr Mohamed Fadzil Mohd Ali (Jerlun), Muaz Abdullah (Padang Terap), Datuk Zulkifly Mohamad (Pendang), Datuk Latipah Md Yatim (Sik) and Johari Abdullah (Baling).
The sole Barisan Nasional candidate who failed to recoup his deposit was Tan Chee Hiong, who stood in the Alor Setar seat.
Warisan was also completely wiped out in Kedah. All its four candidates – Noraini Md Salleh (Pokok Sena), Datuk Fadzil Hanafi (Alor Setar), Khairul Anuar Ahmad (Merbok) and Syed Araniri Syed Ahmad (Kuala Kedah) – failed to recoup their deposits.
Parti Rakyat Malaysia sole candidate Tan Joon Long @ Tan Chow Kang also lost his deposit after registering only 226 votes in the Sungai Petani parliamentary seat.
A candidate’s RM10,000 deposit paid to the Election Commission to contest in a parliamentary seat will be forfeited if they fail to obtain one-eighth of the total votes cast in the constituency.
Kedah has 15 parliamentary seats but polling for one of the seats – Padang Serai – has been postponed following the death of one of its candidates.
The Election Commission has set Dec 7 as the new polling day.
In Penang, a total of 30 out of 58 candidates lost their deposits.
The biggest casualty was Barisan Nasional, which saw seven of its 13 candidates losing their money.
They were Wong Chin Chong (Bukit Gelugor), Richie Huan Xin Yun (Bukit Bendera), Tan Yang Pang (Bukit Mertajam), Tan Kim Nee (Tanjong), Tan Chuan Hong (Bagan), Tan Lee Huat (Batu Kawan) and Datuk T. Loganathan (Jelutong).
Of the 13 candidates fielded by Perikatan Nasional, four lost their deposits. They were P. Thinagaranabhan (Bukit Gelugor), Hng Chee Wey (Bukit Bendera), H’ng Khoon Leng (Tanjong) and Alan Oh (Bagan).
All six Independent candidates and those from Pejuang (five), Warisan (four) and PRM (four) also fell by the wayside in Penang.
The 124 votes secured by Independent candidate Kan Chee Yuen, 49, was the lowest in this GE15 in Penang.
Kan, who contested in the Bayan Baru seat, said he was not surprised by the loss.
“I do not want to be involved in any political parties but I do want to make a difference for the country.
“I will probably not pursue politics any more as I now realise that people would vote for party and not so much the person,” he said.
Besides Kan, the other five independent candidates who had their deposits forfeited were Razalif Zain (Bukit Bendera), Datuk Seri Sabaruddin Ahmad (Balik Pulau), Datuk Seri Johnny Ch’ng Ewe Gee (Balik Pulau), Goh Kheng Huat (Nibong Tebal) and Mohamed Yacoob Mohamed Noor (Jelutong).
All five candidates fielded by Pejuang also lost their deposits. They were Ahmad Fazli Mohammad (Balik Pulau), Hamidi Abu Hassan (Kepala Batas), Abdul Halim Sher Jung (Tasek Gelugor), Mohammed Hafiz Mohamed Abu Bakar (Bagan) and Nasir Othman (Permatang Pauh).
Warisan, too, fared badly in Penang despite having several notable names in its rank. Those who lost their deposits were Jeff Ooi (Bayan Baru), Akmal Azhar (Tasek Gelugor), Ong Chin Wen (Batu Kawan) and Martin Lim Huat Poh (Jelutong).
The four candidates fielded by Parti Rakyat Malaysia lost their deposits as well. They were Teh Yee Cheu (Bukit Bendera), Ravinder Singh (Bayan Baru), Lee Ah Leong (Batu Kawan) and Koh Swe Yong (Jelutong).
