IPOH: Bersatu has admitted that there had been some dispute over the decision to nominate Perikatan Nasional deputy chairman Datuk Dr Dominic Lau to be the candidate for the Bayan Lepas seat in the Penang state election.
Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, however, said that Lau’s candidacy would not have a negative impact on Perikatan, and expressed confidence that the majority of the Malay electorate there would vote for him.
"Many felt that the seat was better suited for a Malay candidate, but that is the beauty of Perikatan, in which we field a non-Malay in a Malay-majority constituency.
"So, no reason to fret. Although there had been some dispute initially, once nominations were settled, the situation cooled off and we are confident of securing Malay support,” he said at a media conference at the Perak Bersatu office here today (July 30).
Media reports claimed that no PAS supporters were present at the Bukit Belah Hall nomination centre in Teluk Kumbar when Lau, who is Gerakan president, filed his nomination papers yesterday (July 29).
The reports said that there were only about 100 individuals comprising Gerakan and Bersatu members present at the nomination centre, and suggested that this could be due to Perikatan standing firm with its decision to field Lau instead of Penang PAS secretary Iszuree Ibrahim for the seat.
According to press reports, Malays comprise about 64% of the electorate in the Bayan Lepas state constituency. - Bernama
