IPOH: The presence of ‘big guns’ from political parties, film directors and flash floods were among the highlights on nomination day for the 15th General Election (GE15) in Perak.
Perak hogged the limelight as Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is also Umno president arrived at the nomination centre to defend the Bagan Datuk Parliamentary seat while Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim submitted his nomination papers for the Tambun Parliamentary seat.
Anwar who is the incumbent Port Dickson MP decided to ‘migrate’ from Negeri Sembilan to conquer Perak, and face Perikatan Nasional (PN) deputy chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu for the Tambun seat.
MIC president Tan Sri S.A. Vigneswaran submitted his nomination papers for the Sungai Siput Parliamentary seat and MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon arrived in Tanjung Malim to submit his nomination for the Parliamentary seat.
There are also candidates running for Parliamentary and state seats in Perak, namely Perak Bersatu secretary Zainol Fadzi Paharudin (PN) in Teluk Intan Parliamentary constituency and Sungai Manik State seat, while Perak DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming (PH) is trying his luck for the Teluk Intan Parliamentary seat and Kepayang state seat.
A housewife R. Indrani also shared the big stage by contesting as an Independent candidate for the Sungai Siput Parliamentary seat and Jalong state seat, probably the only independent candidate to do so.
Meanwhile, Film director Datuk Jurey Latiff Rosli also threw his hat into the ring in Perak and contest the Lenggong Parliamentary seat on a PKR ticket.
In the midst of the bustle of the candidates’ nomination process today, five temporary evacuation centres (PPS) were opened to accommodate 274 victims of flash floods around Taiping since yesterday afternoon.
The rumble of the nomination process was also marred by a case of political party posters and banners gone missing in Sungai Siput, which police are investigating under Section 427 of the Penal Code for mischief. – Bernama