CAMERON POLLS | With nomination day just two days away, the EC has already sold five nomination forms for the Cameron Highlands by-election on Jan 26.
According to the New Straits Times, Pahang EC director Zamree Hamil said the forms were purchased by representatives from various political parties and he expects more to be snapped up.
"There is talk that some independent candidates are interested to contest so we expect more nomination forms to be sold.
“Anyone interested in contesting can still get the forms from us," Zamree was quoted as saying.
Thus far, only Pahang DAP deputy chairperson M Manogaran and disputed MyPPP president M Kayveas have announced their candidatures.
BN is slated to announce its candidate tomorrow, after meetings among component party leaders.
Though traditionally an MIC seat, sources say BN could field an Umno or Orang Asli candidate in Cameron Highlands this time around
PAS and PSM, which also contested the seat in the 14th general election (GE14), are expected to sit it out this time around.
The Cameron Highlands electorate is 34 percent Malay, 30 percent Chinese, 15 percent Indian and 22 percent Orang Asli.
The by-election was triggered when the Election Court declared the seat vacant after determining that vote-buying had led to incumbent MP C Sivarraajh’s win in GE14.
The MIC vice-president won the seat in a five-cornered fight with 10,307 votes, a slim 597-vote majority over Manogaran.
Unlike the four by-elections that have taken place since GE14, this one will be the first in a BN-controlled state.
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