Political heavyweights to face off in multi-cornered fights

PETALING JAYA: Top leaders of Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) will face five, four and three-cornered fights in the 14th general election (GE14).
PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will face a five-cornered fight with Barisan Nasional (BN), PAS, Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) and an independent candidate in the Pandan parliamentary seat.
The party's stronghold in Permatang Pauh will see a three-cornered fight with Nurul Izzah Anwar facing off against BN's Datuk Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said and Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden from PAS.
Langkawi will see a three-cornered fight with incumbent MP Nawawi Ahmad of BN, against PH's Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Zubir Ahmad of PAS.
In Pekan, caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak will face a four-cornered fight with PH's Zahid Mat Arip, the grandson of former deputy prime minister Ghafar Baba, Capt (RTD) Ahiatudin Daud of PAS and independent candidate Abd Kadir Sainuddin.
BN's deputy chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will defend his Bagan Datuk parliamentary seat in a three-cornered fight.
Ata Abdul Muneim Hasan Adli of PAS and Pakhrurrazi Arshad of PKR are also contending for the seat.
Incumbent Bagan MP and caretaker Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng will be defending the seat against BN's Datuk Lee Beng Seng, Parti Cinta Malaysia's Datuk Huan Cheng Guan and Malaysian United Party's Koay Xing Boon.
In Shah Alam, incumbent Khalid Samad from Amanah is defending his seat against BN's Azhari Shaari and PAS' Zuhdi Marzuki.
The Petra Jaya parliamentary seat will see a three-cornered fight with Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (BN) defending the seat against Datuk Dr Nor Irwan Ahmat Nor of Amanah and Hamdan Sani of PAS.
The Segambut parliamentary seat will see a three-way fight that includes former Subang Jaya state assemblyman Hannah Yeoh (DAP), Datuk Loga Bala Mohan (BN-MyPPP) and Mohd Solleh Ab Razak (PAS).
Tian Chua has been disqualified from contesting the Batu parliamentary seat on the grounds of his RM2000 fine imposed by the Shah Alam High Court.
There are four other candidates: Datuk Dr Dominic Lau from BN-Gerakan, Azhar Yahya, the Batu PAS chief and two other independent candidates, P. Prabakaran and Datuk Panjamorthy Muthusamy.
The Putrajaya parliamentary seat will witness a three-cornered fight with Federal Territories BN chairman Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor being challenged by former Universiti Selangor (UNISEL) Deputy Vice-Chancellor Abidin Kidam (PAS) and former Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia lecturer Datuk Dr Samsu Adabi Mamat (Harapan).
In Batu Pahat, disgruntled Batu Pahat Umno chief Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi did not turn up to contest as an independent, but the seat will see a three-cornered fight between Haliza Abdullah (BN), Mohd Rashid Hasnon (PH) and Datuk Mahfodz Mohamed (PAS).