Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun are to go head-to-head against each other in the Kajang by-election on March 23, amidst political controversy and a last-minute legal reversal of fortune for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Chew arrived to file her nomination papers at 8.50am this morning at the Kajang Municipal Sports Complex in Bandar Baru Bangi. Wan Azizah arrived at 8.55am to do the same.
Wan Azizah, who is president of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) was chosen as the Pakatan Rakyat coalition’s candidate in Kajang after her husband, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was disqualified from contesting the seat. His acquittal of sodomy charges brought up against him in 2010 was overturned by the Court of Appeals last Friday, with a sentence of five years in prison.
Chew, a veteran Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) leader, was chosen to contest the seat for the Barisan National coalition and to win back the trust of urban, educated voters. BN lost the Kajang state seat to PR in the 13th general elections last year.
The Kajang constituency has 38,965 registered voters, comprised of 48% Malays, 41% Chinese, and 10% Indians.
This latest by-election was triggered by the sudden resignation of Lee Chin Cheh of the PKR, sparking off speculation that Anwar eyed to take over governance of Selangor from Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, also of the PKR.
Story: The Malaysian Insider
