Malaysia Kickstarts Election Process With Nomination Day

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Saturday kickstarted the 15th General Election (GE15) process to form a new government, with the completion of nomination of its candidates vying for the coveted 222 seats in Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives).   This paves the way for an intense 14-day campaign period in the run up to the GE15 on Nov 19, which will see a tough battle among various political parties contesting, with analysts predicting a multii-coalition government may return post-GE15.  The general election for the 222 parliamentary seats is held simultaneously with the state elections of Perak, Pahang and Perlis, as well as the by-election for the state seat of Bugaya in Sabah. The opposition-led states of Penang, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor, as well as Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah, have opted not to hold their state elections simultaneously with the GE15. Before the dissolution of the Parliament, the composition of seats in the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) saw Pakatan Harapan (PH) held 90 seats, followed by Barisan Nasional (BN) (43), Bersatu (28), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) (19), PAS (17), Warisan (seven), Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) (six), Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) (four), Independents (three), and MUDA, Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) and STAR having one seat each.  Malaysia’s political landscape has changed tremendously since BN’s defeat in GE14 after ruling the country for 60 years. The subsequent political instability witnessed three prime ministers being sworn into office over a period of four years or so. BN, however, is confident of a victory in the upcoming polls based on its resounding success in the by-elections involving the Parliamentary constituencies of Cameron Highlands, Tanjung Piai, and Kimanis, and state seats of Slim and Rantau; and state elections in Malacca and Johor. Meanwhile, caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob of BN who will defend his Bera parliamentary seat in a three-way fight said he was satisfied with the nomination process as there was no untoward incident. Former Malaysian prime minister and the oldest candidate for GE15, Dr Mahathir Mohamad is in for a five-cornered fight to defend his Langkawi parliamentary seat, with the impending GE15 being his 11th general election outing. -- BERNAMA