IPOH – Bersatu has admitted that there was some dispute over the decision to nominate Perikatan Nasional (PN) deputy chairman Datuk Dominic Lau to be the candidate for the Bayan Lepas seat in the Penang state elections.
Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, however, said that Lau’s candidacy would not have a negative impact on PN and expressed confidence that the majority of the Malay electorate there would vote for him.
“Many felt that the seat was better suited for a Malay candidate, but that is the beauty of PN, in which we field a non-Malay in a Malay-majority constituency.
“So, no reason to fret. Although there had been some dispute initially, once nominations were settled, the situation cooled off, and we are confident of securing Malay support,” he said at a media conference at the Perak Bersatu office here today.
Media reports yesterday claimed that no PAS supporters were present at the Bukit Belah Hall nomination centre in Teluk Kumbar when Lau, who is Gerakan president, filed his nomination papers yesterday.
The reports said that there were only about 100 individuals comprising Gerakan and Bersatu members present at the nomination centre and suggested that this could be due to PN standing firm with its decision to field Lau instead of Penang PAS secretary Iszuree Ibrahim for the seat.
According to press reports, Malays comprise about 64% of the electorate in the Bayan Lepas state constituency. – July 30, 2023