GE13: A three-cornered fight likely in Semenyih

The Star, Friday April 12, 2013

IT COULD be a three-cornered fight in Semenyih if PKR does not consider Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) its ally.

PSM secretary-general S. Arutchelvan, who is also a councillor with the Kajang Municipal Council, is firm in his decision to contest the Semenyih seat for a second time.

He lost the state seat to Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Johan Abdul Aziz in the 2008 general election. Johan won with a majority of 1,140 votes.

“We contested on the PKR ticket as we were not a registered party yet.

“Now that we are a registered party, we will be contesting on our own ticket in this general election,” he said.

Last month, Arutchelvan called for a press conference to announce his personal “report card” on his performance in the constituency and PSM’s manifesto for Semenyih.

He added that PSM candidates would continue to support Pakatan Rakyat. The party had submitted a formal request to join Pakatan in September last year.

When asked if PKR would be fielding a candidate in Semenyih, Ampang MP and Wanita PKR chief Zuraida Kamaruddin said the party was still deciding if PSM was an ally.

However, sources said PAS might field its candidate there.

Meanwhile, PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu’s announcement that he would be contesting in Pendang, Kedah, quashed speculation that he might be running for the Hulu Langat parliamentary seat.

In Kajang, there was talk that incumbent Lee Kim Sin would not be fielded.

On the other hand, Hulu Langat MCA division chief Jeffrey Lee Ban Seng, who was born and bred in Kajang, was tipped to be Barisan’s candidate for Kajang.