PETALING JAYA: Bread-and-butter issues as well as economics are likely to be main topics raised by the 570 candidates as the election campaign in six states kicks off.
While economic policies are likely to take centrestage in Selangor’s urban areas, Malay-centric issues will likely dominate ceramah in the rural areas.
In Kelantan, Islam, state development and a clean water supply will be the main narratives that political parties are expected to present throughout the 14-day campaign period.
As the nomination process concluded yesterday, political parties and candidates wasted no time in getting straight onto the campaign trail.
Nomination day was peaceful with no untoward incidents, with the only “shock” being the moment when a candidate in Kelantan had her nomination papers rejected. Independent hopeful for the Kota Lama seat, Tan Lay Tho, was unsuccessful in her bid as the 63-year-old had brought a proposer who lives outside the constituency.
Unlike in the 15th General Election where multi-cornered fights were aplenty, the state polls only saw one seat, namely Lunas, with five candidates.
Thirteen seats will see four-cornered fights. These include Ayer Hangat (Kedah), Kota Lama (Kelantan) as well as Nilai and Sikamat in Negri Sembilan.
In Penang, such fights are taking shape in Bagan Dalam, Perai, Sungai Pinang and Pantai Jerejak, while in Selangor, the four-cornered fights are in Kuala Kubu Baru, Pandan Indah, Seri Setia, Sentosa and Dengkil.
There will be 51 seats seeing three-cornered fights with Selangor having 25 of them, including in Bukit Gasing, Sungai Kandis, Kota Anggerik, Dusun Tua, Kajang and Batu Tiga.
Most seats – 180 of the 245 – will see straight fights.
The oldest candidate is an 81-year-old man in Penang while the youngest is a 23-year-old woman in Selangor.
Perikatan Nasional is fielding the most number of candidates at 168, followed by Pakatan Harapan with 138 and Barisan Nasional with 108 candidates.
There are more Independents – 41 of them – than candidates from “smaller” parties such as Muda (19), Parti Sosialis Malaysia (four) and the little-known Penang Front Party (two) and Parti Utama Rakyat which is contesting in Dengkil, Selangor.
