KUALA LUMPUR – Perikatan Nasional (PN) has drawn attention for fielding a sizable number of non-Malay candidates, challenging the common perception of its Malay-centric identity, ahead of the upcoming elections in six states where 570 candidates will vie for a total of 245 seats.
With 55 non-Malay candidates overall, the number of the opposition coalition’s handpicked candidates nearly matches that of Pakatan Harapan (PH), which has brought forth 59 non-Malays.
Notably though, PN’s component party Gerakan is fielding the highest number of non-Malay candidates (34), of which 19 are contesting in Penang.
One prominent face is the party’s deputy women’s wing chief Heng See Lin, who will face off with PH incumbent, Jagdeep Singh Deo, for the Datok Keramat (N29) seat.
However, PN’s linchpin party Bersatu yesterday admitted that there was some dispute over the decision to nominate Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau to be the candidate for the Bayan Lepas seat in the Penang state elections.
The upcoming state elections will also see 296 first-time candidates, including 124 from PH, 113 from PN, and 56 from Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda), Parti Sosialis Malaysia, and independents combined.
In a bid for inclusivity, a total of 68 women candidates will be contesting, while 146 youth candidates (U40) will participate in this year’s polls.
Muda candidate Melanie Ting Yi-Hlin, at 23, has the distinction of being the youngest to contest in the state elections.
Melanie is in a three-cornered fight for the Bukit Antarabangsa seat in Selangor, running against PH’s Mohd. Kamri Kamaruddin, and PN’s Shasha Lyna Abdul Latif.
The Election Commission has scheduled the polling date for Selangor, Kedah, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Negri Sembilan as August 12, with early voting on August 8. – July 30, 2023