THE last 72 hours have been an emotional roller coaster for PKR’s Dr S. Streram, whose hopes to challenge caretaker Negri Sembilan menteri besar Mohamad Hasan in Rantau evaporated after he was barred from entering the nomination centre on Saturday.

“We were so happy, and suddenly, just like that, we were devastated. Completely wrecked,” the 62-year-old anaesthesiologist told Malaysia Decides.

“I feel the entire nomination process had been sabotaged.”

When he paid his candidate’s deposit last Wednesday, said Dr Streram, Election Commission officers made no mention of the need for any pass to enter the nomination centre, despite numerous questions on the matter posed the week before.

On nomination day, Dr Streram, as well as his proposer and seconder, were not allowed to enter the nomination centre to submit their forms as they did not have EC passes.

Dr Streram’s lawyer, Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, has filed a letter of demand for the EC to rectify his client’s nomination by Wednesday, failing which, the commission could face a suit.

“The EC tag is not a requirement under the law. It is done to facilitate the nomination process. The EC cannot operate only on robotic procedures and violate the rights of the candidate and voters,” Haniff told reporters at his office in Kota Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, today.

Dr Streram had been working the ground over the past year, banking on his medical experience and work at the Nilai Medical Centre to garner the people’s support.

“I have touched and healed many people. I have restored the lives of many people. I believe I had a very strong chance (of winning), an 80% chance. The people’s anger is real.

“And just like that, it was gone. What else could we do?

“Police held me down, put me in a headlock, and my hands were forced behind my back. I was treated like a culprit and a terrorist.”

He said his candidacy was recommended to party leaders by former Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli.

PKR lodged a preliminary report at the Chembong police station the same afternoon. A second, more detailed report was filed at the Petaling Jaya police station yesterday.

Now, Dr Streram has to deal with cruel messages on social media, attacking him for not having a pass and for handing Barisan Nasional a walkover in Rantau.

“They don’t know the facts. But, I give them the benefit of the doubt.” – April 30, 2018.