IT will be a straight fight for Pakatan Harapan candidates – caretaker Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (Padang Kota), Teh Lai Heng (Komtar) and newcomer Wong Yuee Harng (Pengkalan Kota) – in the upcoming state election on Aug 12.
This comes after they had successfully submitted their nomination papers at the Dewan Sri Pinang today, as Perikatan Nasional was the only rival party to have fielded a candidate in each of the three constituencies in the Tanjong parliamentary.
Chow, who is the Pakatan Harapan chairman as well as the state DAP chairman, will take on PN’s H’ng Khoon Leng in his defence of the Padang Kota seat (N26) while Teh will face Chee Kim Huat (PN – Bersatu-Bersekutu) to defend his Komtar seat (N28).
Newcomer Wong will battle it out with Suthakaran Subramaniam (PN- Gerakan) for the Pengkalan Kota seat (N27).
At about 8’ o clock in the morning, over 300 supporters, mainly from Pakatan Harapan and donning red T-shirts, were seen marching from the General Post Office in Downing Street to the nomination centre at Dewan Sri Pinang with chants of ‘Pakatan Harapan!’ and ‘Kita Boleh!’
The supporters also included 20 members from the Progressive Democratic Party, a member of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition aligned to the PH-BN unity government, and some members from Barisan Nasional.
The supporters were accompanying Chow, Teh and Wong to the nomination centre.
After successfully completing the nomination process, Chow thanked his supporters for their presence.
“Thank you for coming here to show your support to the unity candidates for Padang Kota, Pengkalan Kota and Komtar in the upcoming state election under the Tanjong parliamentary constituency.
“Our nomination process went on smoothly and I hope our campaign will also go on smoothly.
“We shall meet again on Aug 12 (polling day) after sealing our victory!” said Chow.
Among those present were Chow’s wife Tan Lean Kee, Teh’s wife Chu Wu Fong, Wong’s father Soon Eng, Tanjong MP Lim Hui Ying (also the Deputy Education Minister), and PDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (also the Tourism Minister).
Earlier, in response to a reporter’s question, Chow said the focus for today was to ensure that all the 40 candidates, including the Barisan Nasional candidates, successfully submitted their respective nominations.
“The old chapter has to be closed and a new one needs to be opened for us to win power for the fourth term.
“We did not receive any news about ‘boycotting’ (in the party) as the handover of resources at the respective constituencies had already taken place.
“For instance, in Pengkalan Kota, former assemblyman Daniel Gooi has handed over his ‘machinery’ to Wong (candidate for Pengkalan Kota), while, former Padang Lalang assemblyman Chong Eng has handed over her resources to Gooi, who has been moved to contest in Padang Lalang,” Chow said.
The battle lines are now drawn and all parties are gearing up for the intense ceramah leading to the electoral showdown.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar
Video by Siew Chia En