Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is currently in Bangkok for the 35th Asean Summit and related meetings with a host of other countries including China, India, Australia and the US.— Bernama pic
BANGKOK, Nov 4 — Despite having a hectic schedule, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said he will campaign for Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the upcoming Tanjung Piai by-election once he returns to Malaysia.
The prime minister who is also chairman of Bersatu — which is fielding Karmaine Sardini as its candidate for the parliamentary poll — is currently in the Thai capital for the 35th Asean Summit and related meetings with a host of other countries including China, India, Australia and the US.
“I will, at least once,” he told Malaysian media briefly after attending the Asean+3 meeting this morning.
Dr Mahathir was asked if he would be campaigning in the Johor parliamentary seat of Tanjung Piai.
The prime minister will be flying back to Malaysia later tonight. He was initially scheduled to depart Bangkok tomorrow morning.
The previous Tanjung Piai MP Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik had also been from Bersatu.
The by-election was triggered by Dr Farid’s death from heart complications on September 21.
Karmaine will be facing off against five others.
Barisan Nasional is fielding Datuk Seri Wee Jack Seng from component party MCA.
The past two-term Tanjung Piai MP was narrowly defeated by Dr Farid in last year’s general election, despite clamour from ally Umno for one of their own to contest the seat.
Islamist party PAS, which is allied to Umno in a separate pact, has thrown its weight beyond the ethnic Chinese runner, despite its demands elsewhere for Malay Muslims to reassert their dominance.
A PAS ally, Berjasa has sent in its president Datuk Badrulhisham Abdul Aziz. while former BN component, Gerakan chose to field Wendy Subramaniam.
Two others, Ang Hock Chuan and Faridah Armani Abdul Ghaffar, are standing as independents.
