Tambun ‘hot seat’ set for four-corner fight in GE15
IPOH, Nov 5 — The Tambun parliamentary seat will be hosting a four-cornered fight in the 15th general election (GE15).
The multi-cornered fight involves Pakatan Harapan (PH), Perikatan Nasional (PN), Barisan Nasional (BN), and Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA).
The four are PKR president and PH prime minister candidate Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu (PN), who is also incumbent for the seat, Tambun Umno division chief Datuk Aminnudin Md Hanifiah (BN) and Abdul Rahim Tahir from Pejuang (GTA).
All four individuals filed their papers at the Dewan Sri Kledang Institut Latihan Perindustrian Ipoh here today when nominations opened at 9am.
Meanwhile, the two state seats under the constituency — Manjoi and Hulu Kinta — will also see a multi-cornered fight respectively.
Incumbent and Perak Amanah chairman Datuk Asmuni Awi (PH), Datuk Azizul Kama Abd Aziz from Umno (BN), Hafez Sabri from PAS (PN) and independent candidate S. Murugiah, 57, will contest for the Manjoi seat.
Murugiah, a housing contractor from Tanjung Rambutan, had previously contested in the 2018 election, but was only able to garner 217 votes.
The Hulu Kinta seat will see a battle between PKR incumbent Muhamad Arafat Varisai Mahamad (PH), Datuk Mazlan Abd Rahman from Umno (BN) and Puteri Holijah Muhamad Rali from Bersatu (PN).
Returning officer Datuk Mohamad Fariz Mohamad Hanip announced the names of the candidates after the close of nominations at 10am.
“I have checked their nominations and none of the four nominations rejected. All four will contest the Tambun parliamentary seat,” he said.
The nominations kick off official campaigning for the general election that will go on until midnight on November 18.
Polling will take place the next day.
Early voting has been fixed for November 15 by the Election Commission (EC).
Earlier, supporters from each coalition who dressed in white, blue and light blue marched to the nomination centre while carrying their respective party flags and banners.
About 200 BN supporters escorted their candidates with shouts of “Hidup BN” to the nomination centre, while PH supporters welcomed their candidates with a cultural performance consisting of a lion dance and bhangra musicians.
Meanwhile, the PN candidates were welcomed with “selawat” praises and “takbir” chants by about 200 supporters.
The supporters from respective parties gathered along the streets near the nomination centre from around 7.30am to show their support to the candidates.
The Tambun constituency comprises 71.2 per cent Bumiputera, 18.1 per cent Chinese, 10.3 per cent Indians with the balance made up of other races.
A total of 160,558 voters — or 155,802 normal voters, 4,734 early voters as well as 22 absentee voters (overseas) — are eligible to cast their ballots in GE15.
