PEKAN: The by-election for the state assembly seat of Chini will witness a three cornered fight with Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate, Mohd. Sharim Md. Zain 41, contesting against two other independent candidates namely Mohd. Shukri Mohd. Ramli,49 and Tengku Datuk Zainul Hisham Tengku Hussin,64.
The names of the three candidates were announced by the management officer of the by-election, Datuk Zaliza Zulkipli after the nomination of candidates had been accomplished at the Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara (IKBN) here this morning.
The polling will be held on July 4 following the new norms and the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by the Election Commission of Malaysia, Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Security Council (NSC).
The Chini by-election was called following the death of Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Harun on May 6 due to a heart attack.
In the 14th General Election, Abu Bakar retained the Chini seat with a 4,622-vote majority, beating PAS candidate Mohd Fadhil Noor Abdul Karim, who received 5,405 votes, and Mohamad Razali Ithnain from PKR, who obtained only 1,065 votes.
Chini has 20,900 registered voters, comprising 20,972 regular voters and 18 early voters. Those aged 40 and below make up 56% of the voters.
The by-election will be the first to be held since the enforcement of the MCO on March 18 to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Earlier in a statement, the Menteri Besar of Pahang who is also the State Chairman of BN, Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said, Mohd. Sharim was nominated due to his good acquaintances with the late Chini Assemblyman, Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Harun besides being a local and knows the people well.
Wan Rosdy said, the selection process to pick someone who could fulfil the criteria set by the top leadership had been thorough.
“Mohd Sharim is a local and suitable for the people in Chini constituency.
“BN’s machinery is well prepared to fight in the “battle” even though the Chini by-election will be held during the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) period,” he said.
Meanwhile the Chini seat is one of the four state constituencies under the Pekan parliamentary constituency.-Malaysia World News
