BOTH the Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections on September 9 will see three-cornered fights involving Pakatan Harapan (PH), Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Independent candidates.

For the Pulai seat, PH candidate Suhaizan Kaiat, who is former Johor assembly speaker, will face PN’s Zulkifli Jaafar and Independent candidate Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi, who is using the key symbol.

The candidates’ names were announced by returning officer Miswan Yunus at about 10.20am today.

Suhaizan, accompanied by his proposer and seconder, filed his nomination papers at the nomination centre at Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim at about 9.02am, followed by Zulkifli two minutes later, and Samsudin at 9.08am.

In MUAR, PH’s Nazri Abdul Rahman, who is Bakri Amanah deputy chief, PN’s Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya, who is a PAS central committee member, and businessman S. Jeganathan were announced as the candidates for the Simpang Jeram by-election.

Returning officer Jamil Hasni Abdullah announced the candidates at 10.10am at the nomination centre at Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim in Muar.

Jamil said Mazri, an endovascular surgeon and vascular consultant, submitted his nomination papers at 9.04am, followed by Nazri, a former engineer of Muar Municipal Council, at 9.08am and Jeganathan at 9.18am.

Jeganathan is contesting as an Independent candidate using the elephant symbol.

Based on the Election Commission (EC) electoral rolls, the Pulai constituency has 166,653 voters, comprising 165,700 ordinary voters, 927 from among police personnel and their spouses, and 26 absentee voters who are overseas.

People aged 21 to 29 comprise the biggest group of voters in Pulai at 35,074, or 21.05% of the electorate, followed by 34,235 voters (20.5%) in the 30-39 age group, and 32,271 voters (19.3%) in the 40-49 years old category.

For the Simpang Jeram seat, there are 40,379 electors, comprising 40,373 ordinary voters and six absentee voters who are overseas.

The biggest group of voters in Simpang Jeram is in the 30-39 age category at 9,326 people or 23.1% of the electorate, followed by 9,160 voters (22.6%) in the 21-29 age group and 7,113 voters (17.6%) in the 40-49 age category.

Campaigning is underway until 11.59pm on September 8, with early voting on September 5 and polling on September 9.

The two seats fell vacant following the death of former domestic trade and cost of living minister Salahuddin Ayub on July 23.

Salahuddin, who was Amanah deputy president, retained the Simpang Jeram seat in the Johor elections in March last year and the Pulai seat in the general election in November last year. – Bernama, August 26, 2023.