Three-cornered fight for Ayer Kuning state seat

THE Ayer Kuning state seat will be contested in a three-way race, with candidates from Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional (PN), and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) officially confirmed as contenders for the upcoming by-election.

The announcement was made by Returning Officer Ahmad Redhauddin Ahmad Shokori at Dewan Merdeka, Tapah, the designated nomination centre.

The nomination process commenced promptly at 9.00 am, with PN candidate Abdul Muhaimin Malek, who is also the Chairman of PN Tapah, being the first to arrive and submit his nomination papers at 9.01 am, accompanied by his proposer and seconder.

He was followed shortly after by BN’s Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir, the UMNO Tapah Division Secretary, who filed his papers at 9.06 am. Representing PSM, Deputy Secretary-General Bawani KS completed her nomination at 9.15 am, officially sealing the triangular contest.

The by-election, scheduled for 26 April, was triggered by the sudden passing of incumbent assemblyman Ishsam Shahruddin, 58, on 22 February, due to a heart attack.

As the candidates arrived with their entourages, senior political figures from across the political divide turned out to lend their support and signal the high stakes of this contest.

Present to back the BN candidate were BN Chairman and UMNO President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Perak BN Chairman Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, and UMNO Vice-President Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.

The BN-led Unity Government coalition also saw support from its component parties, with AMANAH President Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu and Perak DAP Chairman Nga Kor Ming joining the crowd.

On the opposition front, PAS President Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man was also spotted offering support to the PN camp, highlighting the by-election’s significance on the national political landscape.

The Election Commission (EC) has outlined the election timeline as follows: nomination day on 12 April, early voting on 22 April, and polling day on 26 April. With 31,897 registered voters in the constituency, the coming fortnight promises to be a fiercely contested campaign period.

As the campaign gets underway, all eyes will be on Ayer Kuning — not just for its local implications, but for the broader message it may send about national voter sentiment ahead of Malaysia’s next general political shifts. — April 12, 2025