CAMERON HIGHLANDS: A victory for Pakatan Harapan in the Cameron Highlands bye-election will be an indication of the pact's ability to capture Pahang in the 15th General Election.
Cameron Highlands PKR Division chief Tan Wei Wun, this as the Parliament seat comes under the area of Pahang Menteri Besar and Jelai state assemblyman, who is also Cameron Highlands Umno Division Chief, Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.
"If we are successful in capturing Cameron Highlands, it would prove to be a leap in capturing (in 15th GE) ... maybe much earlier (due to to crisis within Umno) ... you never know.
"A win would amount to be a leap factor (for PH) following the success in capturing the Mentri Besar's area," he said at the launch of the PKR Election Machinery for the Tanah Rata state assembly seat on Thursday night.
The election machinery was launched by Deputy Health Minister and PKR Gopeng Member of Parliament Dr Lee Boon Chye.
Present was DAP's Tanah Rata state assemblyman, Chiong Yoke Kiong and Cameron Highlands DAP coordinator and possible candidate M. Manogaran.
Tan who is the PKR election director for the Cameron Highlands by-election called upon the PKR and PH election machinery to focus and provide an understanding to local voters that PH is now the government.
Dr Lee meanwhile said PH had tasted victory in three by-elections which had been held so far, namely two state assembly seats and the Port Dickson Parliamentary by-election and hoped that the winning momentum could be continued in Cameron Highlands.
"This is the first time that we are contesting in an opposition state and based on GE14, PH would only need swing votes amounting to about 300 ballots to wrest the seat from Barisan Nasional (BN).
"However, we know that in the previous election there were votes which went to the Pas candidate. This time around Pas is not contesting and as such it is a big challenge," he said.
Meanwhile, Manogran said the Cameron Highlands by election could be a litmust test on whether the people accept PH's administration of the country or there are some weakness which need to be addressed before GE15.
The Election Commission (EC) has fixed Jan 26 to hold the Cameron Highlands by-election.
The nomination date would be on Jan 12 and early voting would be held on Jan 22.
A total of 32,009 voters are qualified to cast their votes for the by-election based on the 2018 third quarter electoral roll, which had been updated last November.
The campaign period will last for 14 days.
Overseas voting is open for registration from Dec 19 and will be closed on Jan 11, he said.
For the first time that the EC would conduct live broadcast of the tallying process via its Facebook and Instagram pages.
On June 4, Manogaran filed a petition to apply for the declaration of the result of the Cameron Highlands Parliamentary constituency to be cancelled for violating the Offences Act 1954.
Manogaran, who had contested the Cameron Highlands seat under Pakatan Harapan banner in the May 9 general election, claimed incumbent Datuk Sivarraajh Chandran had allegedly given bribes of between RM30 and RM1,000 to Orang Asli voters through several Tok Batin (community heads) to ensure they voted for Barisan Nasional (BN).
On Nov 30, the Election Court declared BN’s victory in Cameron Highland as null and void due to corrupt practices which had been proven to have been committed with the knowledge and consent of the respondent (Sivarraajh) in the election, namely giving of money to voters to induce them to vote for BN.
Sivarraajh garnered 10,307 votes, beating Manogaran who received 9,710 votes and three others Wan Mahadir Wan Mahmud (Pas) who secured 3,587 votes; Mohd Tahir Kassim (Berjasa) with 81 votes and B. Suresh Kumar (Parti Sosialis Malaysia) who received 680 votes.
The by-election was called after the Special Election Court nullified the win by Barisan Nasional candidate MIC vice-president C. Sivarraajh in the 14th General Election due to evidence of bribery.
Sivarraajh had emerged victorious in a five-cornered fight with a slim 597-vote majority.
Sivarraajh obtained 10,307 votes, defeating DAP candidate M. Manogaran, who secured 9,710 votes; Wan Mahadir Wan Mahmud (Pas - 3,587 votes); Mohd Tahir Kassim (Berjasa - 81 votes) and B. Suresh Kumar (PSM - 680 votes).