An election to fill the state assembly seat for Penanti was held on May 31, 2009. Penanti has 15,384 registered voters, with 73% of them Malays, 24% Chinese, 2% Indians and 0.7% of other communities.[1] Mansor Othman of the PKR party won the election.
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Penang Deputy Chief Minister and state assemblyperson Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin quit the state assembly seat of Penanti, Penang regarding allegations over his non-performance in public office and corruption allegations.[2] Fairus was however cleared of the alleged corruption links with quarry operations in the state by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.[3]
According to the mainstream media, Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim decided to force a by-election to allow his former political secretary Dr Mansor Osman to contest, win and automatically become Penang deputy Chief Minister.[4] The Election Commission has set the nominations day for May 23 and polling day on May 31 for the Penanti state by-election in Penang.[5]
Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak declared an election would be a waste of economic resources. [6] However, he felt the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional would not contest the election. [7] It would be the first election uncontested by the ruling coalition since independence.[8] MCA supported foregoing the by-election and awarding the opposition Pakatan Rakyat party victory, as a means to reduce political tensions.[9]
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad urged Barisan Nasional to contest the by-election.[10], but Barisan Nasional supreme council announced on May 18, 2009 that the party would not contest the Penanti state assembly seat in Penang.
Penang PKR deputy chief Mansor Othman, a 54-year old party veteran, was named the party’s candidate. [11] Three candidates ran as independents: former Penang PKR Wanita chief Aminah Abdullah, company manager Nai-Khan Ari and motivational expert Kamarul Ramizu Idris.[12]
PKR's Dr Mansor Othman won 6,052 of the 7,100 votes cast in the Penanti by-election on May 31, 2009. Independents Nai Khan Ari, Aminah Abdullah and Kamarul Ramizu Idris obtained 494, 392 and 56 votes respectively. The polling ended with a low turnout of 46.1% or 7,100 voters despite fair weather.[13][14]
| State Assembly: Penanti by-election, 2009 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Pakatan Rakyat - PKR | Mansor Othman | 6,052 | 85.2% | - | |
| Independent | Aminah Abdullah | 392 | 5.5% | - | |
| Independent | Nai-Khan Ari | 494 | 6.9% | - | |
| Independent | Kamarul Ramizu Idris | 56 | 0.7% | - | |
| Majority | 5558 | % | - | ||
| Turnout | 7,100 | % | - | ||
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