A four-cornered fight looms in the Tapah parliamentary constituency of Perak, with PKR Tapah division chief Ridzuan Bani announcing this afternoon that he will contest as an independent candidate in the May 5 general election.
Ridzuan accused former Hindraf leader K Vasantha Kumar, who will contest the seat on the PKR ticket, of abusing Hindraf's assets and said Vasantha Kumar would not be accepted by the local community of the sleepy town.
Vasantha Kumar was named as the party's candidate for Tapah by PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim two nights ago.
Yesterday, Perak BN chairperson Zambry Abdul Kader announced that the incumbent Tapah MP and outgoing federal territories and urban well-being deputy minister M Saravanan would defend his seat.
Should Ridzuan file his candidacy, a four-cornered fight for Tapah could take place as an NGO called Ikatan Muslim Malaysia (ISMA) has also announced that it would field candidates in eight parliamentary seats nationwide, including Tapah.
Ridzuan said the central and state leaders of PKR had made a wrong decision sin selecting Vasantha Kumar, adding that this would bring a defeat for Pakatan Rakyat in Tapah.
Malaysiakini is working to get Vasantha Kumar's response to Ridzuan's claims.
'Struggles, sacrifice gone to waste'
Ridzuan told a press conference: "I struggled the last few years for PKR. I sacrificed my money and resources to promote PKR's image, but at the last minute, PKR's thoughtless leaders had chosen this candidate.
"I didn't want to contest from the very beginning, I wanted to retire from politics after witnessing Pakatan capture Putrajaya, and to take care my of my family and my business, which I have abandoned for a long time because of the political struggles.
"But with this scenario now, I am called to contest to save the Tapah parliamentary seat."
Ridzuan also stressed that his move did not mean he was leaving the party.
"No. How can I quit PKR? I have been with PKR for so long. I never been in Umno, PAS or DAP," he added.
Ridzuan said the party grassroots had voiced their objections to an outsider contesting in Tapah to the national and state leadership before the announcement was made, but unfortunately their voices were ignored.
He said the committee members of the PKR Tapah division and his supporters have launched a donation drive to collect money for his nomination deposit.
"I know that the money is still not enough, so today I plan to sell my car to get the funds needed," he added.
'At least a local Indian would be better'
Ridzuan also said he would leave the logistics of the PKR Tapah division office to Amani Williams-Hunt Abdullah, the PKR candidate for the Chenderiang state seat under the Tapah constituency.
Former PKR deputy secretary-general PS Janapala, who was also present at Ridzuan's press conference, said a former PKR elected representative would quit the party in Penang tomorrow, where a protest against the leadership's Tapah candidate decision would also be held.
Janapala, who was axed by the party two-and-a-half years ago, said PRK could at least have given a local Indian leader the chance to contest in Tapah, not to an outsider like Vasantha Kumar.
"This is not to say we condemn or criticise PKR. This is to send a message to PKR: wake up, wake up before it's too late," he said.
In a separate development, some 30 Kuala Kangsar Umno Wanita members went to the official residence of the Perak menteri besar to record their disappointment over the BN candidates for the Kuala Kangsar parliamentary seat and the Bukit Chandan and Manong state seats under it.
Led by Kuala Kangsar Umno Wanita secretary Aishah Halid, they told MB Zambry Abdul Kader that they were not happy their Wanita chief, Kamilia Ibrahim, who is also Wanita Umno national deputy chief, was not named as the Kuala Kangsar candidate.
"We still support the BN candidates, but we are asking that what has been done be reconsidered," Aishah said at a brief press conference.
