TV PAKATAN RAKYAT

Parti KeAdilan Rakyat's (PKR) Dr Mansor Othman will face three independents in the Penanti by-election this May 31 after one was disqualified. The Barisan Nasional has opted out of the by-election in Penanti, within PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's Permatang Pauh political fortress, calling it an abuse of the electoral process. Mansor and the four independents, Aminah Abdullah, Mohd Saberi Osman, Nai Khan Ari and Kamarul Ramizu Idris, filed their nomination papers at the youth skills complex in Bukit Mertajam this morning.

Returning officer Roslan Yahaya declared all eligible except for Saberi after the objection period ended at 11am. There were six objections against him. Roslan did not disclose the reason why Saberi was disqualified. According to PKR vice-president R. Sivarasa, PKR's objection that Saberi was a bankrupt was accepted by the Election Commission and that was the reason the independent hopeful was not allowed to contest. With Barisan Nasional out of the picture, PKR took premium space in Penanti as supporters and flags crowded the road to the nomination centre. Mansor was accompanied by Pakatan Rakyat leaders as he made his way to the nomination centre just before 8am.

Among the Pakatan leaders who arrived later to join Mansor was Anwar, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, ousted Pakatan Rakyat Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin and Azmin Ali. Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and his father, DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang, were among those outside the nomination centre.