GE15: Ismail Sabri up against two contenders in Bera

BERA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is up against two contenders, each from Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN), in his bid to defend his Bera parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election (GE15).

Representing Barisan Nasional (BN) in the three-cornered fight, Ismail Sabri, who had been the incumbent of the seat since 2004, is challenged by Abas Awang (PH-PKR) and Datuk Asmawi Harun (PN-Bersatu).

The official list of candidates for the seat was announced by Returning Officer for Bera Datuk Zaman Azam Mohamet Sarif at 11.23 am right after the nomination process took place at the Bera District Council Convention Hall here today.

Clad in a matching blue outfit, Ismail Sabri and his wife Datin Seri Muhaini Zainal Abidin arrived at the nomination centre at 8.55 am, along with three other BN candidates for state seats in the Bera constituency, as well as hundreds of their supporters.

Asmawi and Abas arrived earlier at 8.30 am and 8.50 am respectively.

In the 2018 General Election, Ismail Sabri, who is also UMNO vice-president, retained the seat after defeating PKR candidate Zakaria Abdul Hamid and PAS' Musaniff Ab Rahman with a 2,311-vote majority.

Based on the electoral roll, Bera has 77,669 registered voters comprising 73,860 normal voters, 3,521 military personnel and spouses, 279 police personnel and spouses, and nine overseas voters.

Meanwhile, Zaman Azam also announced a four-cornered fight for the Guai state seat, involving three women candidates namely Datuk Sabriah Saidin (BN), Nor Hashimahi Mat Noh (PN) and Noraini Abdul Ghani (PH), and independent candidate Jafari Mohd Yusof.

For the Triang state seat, incumbent Leong Yu Man of PH will be challenged by Yee Cheng Hwa (BN) and Muhammad Izzuddin Zulkifli (PN).

The contest for the Kemayan state seat sees a straight fight between Khaizulnizam Mohamad Zuldin (BN) and Shapuan Hussain (PN) after the nomination paper submitted by PH candidate Manolan Mohamad, who is also Malaysian Orang Asli Development Association (MOADA) president, was rejected.

Guai has 24,412 voters, while Triang has 25,891, and Kemayan has 27, 366.

The Election Commission has set the polling for the GE15 on Nov 19, while early voting is on Nov 15.

-- BERNAMA