GE15: Political dynasties becoming more significant

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of candidates with family ties is very significant this time, with members from at least seven families nationwide vying for parliamentary and state seats in the 15th general election (GE15).

The Anwar (Ibrahim), Lim (Kit Siang) and (Karpal) Singh families from Pakatan Harapan (PH) are continuing the tradition of fielding candidates from their households.

As expected, PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be contesting the Tambun parliamentary seat while his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will stand in Bandar Tun Razak and daughter Nurul Izzah will defend her Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat.

Permatang Pauh is a PKR stronghold and is considered a traditional seat for Anwar's family as he and his wife, who is the PKR Advisory Council chairman, have held the parliamentary seat since 1982, including when contesting under the Barisan Nasional (BN) ticket.

Incumbent Nurul Izzah, 42, who is also the PKR vice-president, will face a four-cornered fight with Datuk Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said, 53 (BN-UMNO), Muhammad Fawwaz Mat Jan, 39 (PN-PAS), and Mohd Nasir Othman, 64 (Pejuang-Putra).

The retirement of former DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang has not reduced the involvement of the Lim family as National DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng will be defending the Bagan parliamentary seat while his younger sister Senator Lim Hui Ying (Penang DAP secretary) will run for the Tanjong parliamentary seat.

Apart from that, the children of former DAP chairman, the late Karpal Singh, are contesting on the PH ticket, namely Bukit Gelugor incumbent MP Ramkarpal Singh and his brother Gobind Singh Deo, who has moved to Damansara from the Puchong parliamentary constituency.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will defend his Langkawi parliamentary seat while his son Datuk Seri Mukhriz, who is also the Pejuang president, will defend his Jerlun parliamentary seat.

In Sabah, activist Datuk Vernon Bahanda will contest the Kudat parliamentary seat as an independent while his brother Datuk Wetron Bahanda, who is Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) deputy president, will vie for the Kota Marudu parliamentary seat.

In Perlis, Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim will defend his Arau parliamentary seat under the PAS logo while younger brother Datuk Ismail Kassim will defend his Tambun Tulang state seat on a BN ticket.

Shahidan, the Arau parliamentary incumbent, was not named as a candidate for the area after BN nominated Datuk Rozabil Abd Rahman as its candidate.

-- BERNAMA