GEORGE TOWN, July 29 — The internal tussle in Perikatan Nasional (PN) over the Bayan Lepas seat here is clearly unresolved as the coalition’s candidate Datuk Dominic Lau Hoe Chai turned up at the nomination centre without the support of PAS supporters.
While Lau was accompanied by PN members dressed in the coalition’s blue and green T-shirts, none of the PAS Bayan Lepas grassroots were present.
The Gerakan president arrived at the junction of the road leading to the nomination centre at Dewan Bukit Belah in Teluk Kumbar with about 80 supporters at about 8.30am.
The Bayan Lepas state seat was embroiled in controversy when PAS Bayan Lepas members and its grassroots protested against Lau’s candidacy for the seat under PN.
PAS has traditionally contested in the seat, going up against Barisan Nasional (BN) in 2013 and against BN and PH in 2018.
BN has held the seat until PH’s Azrul Mahathir Aziz won the seat with a landslide majority of 5,245 votes in 2018.
Azrul, from Amanah, arrived at the nomination centre with hundreds of PH and BN supporters at about 8.20am.
Lau, who is also Penang PN chairman, is expected to go up against Azrul in a straight fight in this state election.
The Election Commission (EC) has set August 12 as the polling date for the state elections in Selangor, Kedah, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Negeri Sembilan as well as the Kuala Terengganu by-election.