Four-cornered contest for Kuala Kangsar by-election

The Kuala Kangsar parliamentary by-election is a four-cornered contest involving Barisan Nasional, PAS, Parti Amanah Negara and an Independent candidate.

They are Datin Mastura Mohd Yazid of BN, Perak PAS Women's chief Dr Najihatussalehah Ahmad, Kuala Kangsar Amanah vice-chief Prof Dr Ahmad Termizi Ramli and Independent candidate Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary.

Returning officer Mior Muhammad Jamil Mior Zakaria announced their names after the close of nomination at Dewan Jubli Perak here.

"I am satisfied with the nomination papers. No papers were rejected," he said before announcing the names of the candidates.

The by-election is being held following the death of the MP, Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad, in a helicopter crash in Sarawak on May 5.

Mastura, 55, who is in mourning following the death of her husband and Kuala Kangsar MP Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar, did not come in person to the nomination centre.

She was represented by Datuk Megat Ahmad Shahrani Megat Sharuddin, deputy president of the Perak Malaysian Malay Contractors Association, who filed her nomination papers at 9.01am.

The proposer was the state assemblyman for Manong, Mohd Kamil Shafie, and seconder, the state assemblyman for Bukit Chandan, Maslin Sham Razman.

Mastura's four children, sons Wan Emir Astar, Wan Imar Izzat, Wan Iskandar and Wan Muhammad Ammar, came to the nomination centre. They were accompanied by several BN leaders, among them UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein and MIC president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.

Dr Najihatussalehah, 50, arrived at the centre accompanied by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

She filed her nomination papers at 9.05am, her proposer being Raja Ahmad Iskandar Raja Yaacob and seconder, Rahimah Musa.

Dr Ahmad Termizi, 62, of Amanah handed in his papers at 9.10am, with the proposer being Ahmad Zubairi Yaacob and seconder, Yahya Ariff Kamaruzzaman.

He arrived at the centre accompanied by several Pakatan Harapan leaders, among them DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Izat Bukhary, 49, the Independent candidate, filed his papers at 9.10am. The candidate, who is using the pen as his symbol, was proposed by Mohd Khairul Izwan Mohd Ri (rpt) Mohd Ri and seconded by Ahmad Hafizi Ahmed Idris.

A lawyer and businessman, Datuk Abu Backer Sidek, also came to the centre to file his papers to contest as an Independent but changed his mind, claiming that he was unhappy with the electoral system.

The nomination sets in motion the campaign for the by-election that will go on until midnight on June 17. Polling is on June 18.

Early voting is scheduled for June 14 at Dewan Tun Salleh Ismael of the Police Housing Complex at the Kuala Kangsar District Police Headquarters for voters in Bukit Chandan and at the meeting room of the Manong Police Station for voters in Manong.

A total of 25 polling districts with 71 streams will be set up at 19 primary and secondary schools, two community halls, two religious schools and two police stations.

The Kuala Kangsar parliamentary constituency has 32,949 voters, among them 22,496 Malays, 7,757 Chinese, 2,287 Indians, 330 Orang Asli, 16 Sarawak Bumiputeras and 13 Sabah Bumiputeras.