SEREMBAN: Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has described Dr S Streram, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Rantau by-election, as a person who is consistent in fighting for justice for the people.
The Deputy Prime Minister said it was this trait of his that led to a by-election for the state seat.
Dr Wan Azizah, who is also PH president, said PH faced injustice when it was denied a chance to contest the seat in the 14th General Election (GE14) last May which saw Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who was the Negeri Sembilan menteri besar then, win it unopposed.
“That is why the matter was brought to court which found the case had merits, hence the by-election (for the Rantau) being called.
“We urge voters to pick our candidate who never gave up despite being denied a chance to contest the seat. He continued his fight for justice for the people,” she told reporters after the nomination process at Dewan Serbaguna Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC), Bandar Sri Sendayan here today.
Dr Wan Azizah was accompanied by PH de facto leader and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Amanah vice president Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof , DAP vice chairman M Kula Segaran and Dr Streram, 60, an anaesthetist.
Dr Streram, the Rembau PKR division deputy head who was “robbed” of his candidacy for the Rantau state seat in GE14, got his second shot after the nomination process for the Rantau by-election.
In GE14, Dr Streram was disqualified for not having an EC pass to enter the nomination centre.
Dr Streram filed a petition with the Election Court which nullified the results for the seat in GE14.
He is in a four-cornered fight with the other candidates being Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan again for Barisan Nasional, and independents R. Malarvizhi and Mohd Nor Yassin.
Meanwhile, Anwar said the election machinery of all four PH component parties (Bersatu, DAP, PKR and Amanah) were ready for the campaign.
He said PH would adopt a three-prong approach, the first being calling on the people to give their full support to PH under the leadership of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, which succeeded in putting a stop to the wanton corruption under the old regime.
The second is state-level projects to assist the poor and provision of basic facilities which are far better than that provided by the old government, including in Rantau.
“Thirdly, specifically for Rantau, we see its proximity to Kuala Lumpur as having great potential but neglected by Barisan Nasional even though the coalition was in power for so long,” Anwar added.
Muhyiddin, who is also Home Minister, concurred, saying the by-election was a good opportunity for the PH machinery to explain what the ruling coalition was doing for the people at the federal and state levels.
“It is because several things have been twisted by the opposition causing the people to misunderstand what the PH government stands for. We will use this by-election to explain in greater detail.
Meanwhile, Kula Segaran and Mujahid shared the same view that racial and religious sentiments should not be used in the campaigning.
Early voting is on April 9 and polling on April 23. – Bernama
