PUTRAJAYA: Gerakan president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong is prepared to face any opponent should he be selected to defend the Teluk Intan parliamentary seat in the 14th General Election (GE14).
Mah said DAP can nominate any of their leaders to challenge for the seat, and expressed confidence that he can retain the seat.
Mah said although DAP appears confident that Teluk Intan is their stronghold, as they had won the seat in the 2008 and 2013 general elections, they cannot underestimate Barisan Nasional’s (BN) strength.
“The thing is, whenever they won or lost (the Teluk Intan constituency), they would nominate different faces to contest in the general election. So it is up to them.
“Malaysia is a democratic country and anyone can contest in any constituency in the general election. I’m not running away; I’m prepared to take on anyone.
“If the BN leadership gives me the opportunity to become a candidate and carry out the mandate, I hope I will contest in Teluk Intan once again,” he told reporters after attending the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry’s monthly assembly and 2017 Excellent Service Award ceremony, here today.
Perak DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming is reportedly contesting the Teluk Intan parliamentary seat. This came about after an announcement by Johor DAP chairman Liew Chin Tong, who said that he will contest the Ayer Hitam parliamentary seat, which is currently held by MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
Mah said he was not shaken by DAP’s strategy to win back the state and that he would continue to work hard to serve the people.
“I will try my level best to uphold the wellbeing of the people and develop the state. I think I will have a good fight (in the GE14) although I am an underdog,” he said.
Mah won the Teluk Intan parliamentary seat in the 2014 by-election, defeating DAP candidate Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud.