PKR will contest the Sungai Bakap by-election, said Chow Kon Yeow.

The  DAP state chairman said the decision was reached following a unity leadership meeting in Penang today.

“We will choose a candidate who represents the unity, The unity leadership has unanimously decided that the candidate will be from PKR,” said the Penang Chief Minister.

Chow did not rule out the possibility of a woman candidate as the  state promotes a quota that 30 percent of its elected representatives should be women.

“This is where the wisdom and the intelligence of the top leadership can come into play in selecting the best candidate for the by - election,” Chow said.

PKR vice- president Nurul Izzah confirmed that five candidates have been shortlisted by her party.

Among the names being mentioned are former Penang PKR Wanita head Nurhidayah Che Rose and Dr Amar Pritpal Abdullah, who served as Sungai Bakap assemblyman for the term of 2018 until 2023..

Chow also announced the appointment of state Deputy Chief Minister I Mohamad Abdul Hamid as the election director for the unity government.

He will be assisted by four deputies from PKR, Amanah, DAP and BN.

“With the spirit of unity and togetherness, we will try to win back the Sungai Bakap seat which the PKR candidates representing Pakatan Harapan and previously Pakatan Rakyat held for three terms (from 2008 to 2018),” Chow said.

A by-election for the Penang state seat was called when its PAS assemblyman, Nor Zamri Latiff, died on May 14.

There are around 38,409 registered voters as of last year, of which 59.36% are Malays, Chinese (22.54%) Indians (17.39%) and other ethnicities (0.71%). – June 3, 2024.