Independently speaking
Sin Chew Daily
The 13th general elections could have been a straight fight between BN and Pakatan Rakyat, but with the unexpected emergence of large number of independents, many are individuals unhappy with their parties’ decisions not to field them as candidates, the final outcome has become even less predictable now.
Some of them might just come in to create some minor troubles but with some heavyweight independents now coming into picture, things are poised to get more complicated.
There are as many as 270 independent candidates running in the 13th general elections, a record in the country’s history. Among these candidates, 23 have come in because they have not been endorsed by their parties. Seven of them are from DAP while Umno, Gerakan, PKR and MCA have 6, 5, 4 and 1 respectively.
As a matter of fact, both Pakatan and BN have problem of members running as independent candidates. If the frustration of the supporters of these disgruntled candidates is not properly addressed within the next two weeks, the sabotage that ensue will only serve to complicate the final outcome of the two rival camps.
Of all the parliamentary seats up for grabs, 132 will see one-to-one straight fights, while 57 and 24 seats will see three- and four-cornered fights respectively. In the meantime, as many as seven will sea five-cornered fights while ten and one will see six- and seven-cornered fights respectively.
There are two heavyweight Umno leaders contesting as independents, namely Wanita Umno deputy chief Kamilia Ibrahim and former deputy agriculture minister Datuk Shariff Omar.
Party veteran cum Kuala Kangsar Wanita Umno chief Kamilia has long set her eyes on the Kuala Kangsar seat formerly held by Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz.
Unhappy with the fact that she has served the constituency for so many years and is now offered only a state assembly seat, Kamilia decided to go her way to run in Kuala Kangsar.
Another veteran Umno leader from Penang, three-term MP for Tasek Glugor and three-term state assemblyman, Shariff Omar’s decision to run in his old constituency could drain some of Umno’s fundamental votes in favour of the rival PAS candidate.
Although many MCA members are unhappy with the party leadership’s decision on seat allocation, only two have chosen to run as independents, namely Yoong Tham Fook in Kuala Kubu Baharu state seat and Tan Yew Leng, personal secretary of former MCA president Ong Tee Keat, in Pandan.
More shockingly, five incumbent DAP elected reps have also jumped into the bandwagon of independents, namely incumbent MP for Kota Melaka Sim Tong Him running as independent candidate for Kota Laksamana state seat, the incumbent Tetatai state assemblywoman Jenice Lee, the incumbent Aulong state assemblyman Yew Tian Hoe, the incumbent Mengkibol state assemblyman Ng Lam Hua and incumbent MP for Seremban John A/L Fernandez.
Melaka DAP has said Sim Tong Him’s contest in Kota Laksamana as independent has been the collective decision of the state liaison committee, and that it will throw its full support behind Sim.
(Latest development: Sim has withdrawn from contesting in the Kota Laksamana state assembly seat Monday afternoon.)
The participation of these independents,especially Sim Tong Him and Jenice Lee, has underscored the internal conflicts and factional squabbles within the DAP.
Meanwhile, the disagreement between PKR and PAS has also resulted in overlapping of Pakatan candidates in one parliamentary and five state seats.
There ar a total of 1,900 candidates running in the parliamentary and state elections in GE13, of whom 726 are from the ruling coalition, 733 from Pakatan and 270 independents.
