Defiant Tanjung Piai Putra wants Ibrahim Ali to run if BN doesn't field a Malay

The Tanjung Piai division of Ibrahim Ali's Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra) insists that it will contest the upcoming parliamentary by-election should BN fail to run a Malay candidate.

This is despite the announcement three days ago by Ibrahim (photo, above) himself that Putra’s supreme council and political bureau had decided not to enter the by-election fray as it wants to focus on preparations for the 15th General Election (GE15).

Yesterday, Tanjung Piai Putra division chief Saharudin Kamijan told the Malay Mail that he was determined to give Malay voters who did not support the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition another option.

“Yes, it is true that Ibrahim Ali announced that the party does not want to contest, but [...] it must be understood that we should be prepared in the event BN fields a non-Malay candidate," he said.

“It seems that BN is still undecided if their candidate will come from either Umno or MCA for the Tanjung Piai by-election, although Harapan has announced Karmaine Sardini as the coalition’s candidate yesterday,” said Saharudin.

Ironically, Saharudin went on to say that Ibrahim is the party's most likely candidate.

Commenting on the age of Harapan's 66-year-old candidate Karmaine Sardini, Saharudin expressed the view that Tanjung Piai is not about having a young or old candidate but it is more racial.

“As the majority of voters in Tanjung Piai are Malay, Putra is keen to contest a Malay candidate."

He admitted that the aura of the late Tanjung Piai MP Dr Mohd Farid Mohd Rafik is still a factor but felt that Karmaine was a recycled candidate who failed to win the Pontian seat in last year's GE.

Aside from Karmaine, Gerakan has also named its deputy secretary-general Wendy Subramaniam as its candidate

The by-election was called after Mohd Farid passed away from a heart attack last month.

Mohd Farid defeated Wee Jeck Seng of the MCA in the last general election by only 524 votes.

The candidates will formally be nominated on Nov 2, while Tanjung Piai voters are scheduled to go to the polls on Nov 16.