PARTI Keadilan Rakyat vice-president Rafizi Ramli yesterday claimed Dr S. Streram, the PKR candidate for the Rantau state seat, was deliberately prevented from contesting.

Bernama reported the former Pandan MP as saying the walkover by Negeri Sembilan caretaker menteri besar Mohamad Hasan was not a mandate given by the people, and had come from depriving Dr Streram of his right to contest.

Rafizi also said that the state Election Commission director had instructed the returning officer at the centre to allow Dr Streram to enter even though the candidate had no EC pass.

“He had paid the deposit, and I received a call from (state PKR chairman) Aminuddin (Harun) that Streram was not allowed to enter because he did not have a pass.

“At 9.45 am, Streram was still not allowed to enter, and I told him to barge through (the police check),” he said in a speech at Ampangan, Seremban, yesterday.

On nomination day at the Seri Rembau Hall last Saturday, Mohamad was announced the unopposed winner after Dr Streram was blocked from submitting his nomination papers on the grounds that he did not have an entry pass to the nomination centre. – May 1, 2018.