GE13: PKR-DAP tussle for Bentong heats up

(The Star) – The tussle for the Bentong parliamentary seat between PKR and DAP has heated up with both sides standing firm on their right to put their candidate in the parliamentary seat.

The furore started after DAP announced Himpunan Hijau leader Wong Tack (picture) as its candidate for the seat in the general election.

The decision stunned PKR, which had wanted the seat as it had put a candidate there at the last polls in 2008.

In that election, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai won the seat for the Barisan Nasional when he defeated PKR candidate G. Ponnusamy by a majority of more than 12,500 votes.

Following the announcement of Wong’s candidacy last week, Ponnusamy lashed out at his party leaders for allowing DAP to take the seat away from PKR.

However, PKR leaders had reportedly stated that they were willing to give up Bentong in exchange for two state seats previously contested by DAP, including the Ketari state seat in the constituency.

The other is Tanah Rata, which comes under Cameraon Highlands.

Both seats were won by the Barisan Nasional on marginal majorities in the last elections.

“On our side, we stand by our decision.

“If they (DAP) want the Bentong seat, it means we will take the two state seats,” Pahang PKR chief Fauzi Abdul Rahman reportedly told news portal Antarapos.

The portal quoted him as further saying that his party would not hand over Bentong if DAP did not agree to the swap.

DAP reportedly responded by threatening it would take on PKR and Barisan in three-cornered fights in the contentious seats if its ally did not back off from its claims.

When contacted by The Star, Fauzi refused to comment.

It is understood that PKR and DAP were currently also in disagreement over the Teruntum state seat, which PKR contested and lost in 2008.

When contacted, Pahang DAP chairman Leong Ngah Ngah said: “The discussion has left the state level. It is now up to the central Pakatan Rakyat leadership to decide.”