Pulai, Simpang Jeram by-elections kick off with nominations tomorrow

With the six states having concluded their elections recently, the heat is now shifting to the "southern tiger" state, where two by-elections for the Pulai parliamentary seat and the Simpang Jeram state seat will be held.

The nominations for these two by-elections will be held tomorrow from 9am to 10am at Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim, Johor Bahru, for the Pulai by-election and Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim, Muar, for the Simpang Jeram by-election.

According to the Johor Election Office, 22 sets of nomination forms have been sold so far to several political parties, including Amanah, PAS, and Perikatan Nasional (PN), as well as independent candidates.

The by-elections in the two constituencies are expected to witness stiff competition, with Pakatan Harapan (PH) pitting two protégés of the late Salahuddin Ayub, who was the incumbent of the two seats, against the PN candidates.

PH has named former Johor state assembly speaker Suhaizan Kaiat, who is also the late Salahuddin's political secretary, as its candidate for the Pulai parliamentary seat.

Suhaizan, who will be contesting on Amanah's ticket, is expected to face Pulai Bersatu deputy chief Zulkifli Jaafa, who has been named by PN as its candidate for the seat.

For Simpang Jeram, PH is betting on Bakri Amanah deputy chief Nazri Abdul Rahman, who is an engineer, to defend the seat against PN candidate Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya, who is a vascular consultant and endovascular surgeon.

Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur Consumer Safety Association president Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi has expressed his intention to file his nomination as an independent candidate for the Pulai parliamentary seat.

The by-elections were being called following Salahuddin's death on July 23. He was the elected representative for both seats.

Salahuddin, who was the domestic trade and cost of living minister, was also Amanah deputy president.

In the Johor state election in March last year, PH won 13 seats, while Barisan Nasional (BN) dominated the Johor state assembly with 40 seats, and PN won three seats.

In the 15th general election held last November, PH won 15 parliamentary seats, with Amanah winning two of them. BN won nine, and PN won two.