KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor Gerakan has named a Malay candidate out of three candidates submitted to the party's headquarters for consideration as the representative of Perikatan Nasional (PN) for the upcoming Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election on May 11.
Selangor Gerakan chairman Henry Teoh Kien Hong said it submitted three names as requested, representing diverse backgrounds and ethnicities in line with the party's multi-ethnic membership.
In the previous state assembly election, the seat was contested by a Gerakan candidate representing PN, who is also the current chairman of Selangor Gerakan.
"Names of Three candidates have been submitted, one of whom is a Malay while another is a local candidate and active in the Gerakan division," he told Berita Harian when contacted but refused to reveal details of the candidates.
In the previous state election, the seat was contested by a Gerakan candidate representing PN, who was the chairman of Gerakan Selangor himself.
Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election is held following the death of its incumbent, Lee Kee Hiong, on March 21 due to cancer.
Lee defeated Teoh with a majority of 4,119 votes. Also contesting were the candidate from Muda, Dr Siva Prakash, who received 1,186 votes, and Chng Boon Lai from the Malaysian People's Party (PRM), who garnered 527 votes.
Previously, it was reported that three names were under consideration by PN for the seat, and the state Pas was said to be lobbying to nominate Hulu Selangor Pas Youth chief Mohd Zulwafi Bahauddin.
When asked whether his name was also nominated, Teoh acknowledged that his name was listed based on the state Gerakan's joint agreement.
"As a former candidate, my name was also listed with the joint approval of the state Gerakan. Of course, I did not nominate myself because the candidates presented were discussed at the state level before being brought to the Gerakan headquarters," he said.
It is understood that besides his name, the Malay candidate nominated by Selangor Gerakan is the party's chief information officer, Datuk Dr Asharuddin Ahmad, who is also the party's former deputy president.
Another candidate named is the Hulu Selangor Gerakan deputy chairman A. Rama Rao.
