Five-cornered fight in Cameron Highlands without Kayveas

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: The Cameron Highlands parliamentary seat will see a five-cornered fight in the 14th General Election (GE14) without the participation of former MyPPP president Tan Sri M. Kayveas who had earlier said he would contest as an Independent candidate.
The former deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department, who was known for the slogan 'Make Cameron Nice Again' and fondly known as 'Uncle Bond' among constituents, was nowhere to be seen at the nomination centre at the Cameron Highlands District and Land Office until the nomination period ended at 10am today.
At 12.15pm, Cameron Highlands returning officer, Datuk Ishak Md Napis announced that the seat would be contested by Barisan Nasional (BN-MIC) candidate Datuk C. Sivarraajh, Wan Mahadir Wan Mahmud (PAS), M. Manogaran (PKR-DAP), Mohd Tahir Kassim (Berjasa) and Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) candidate B. Suresh Kumar.
For the Tanah Rata state seat, BN-MCA candidate Leong Tak Man, 68, will lock horns with Datuk S. Kumar (PAS) and Chiong Yoke Kong (PKR-DAP).
The Jelai state seat will also see a four-cornered fight with BN-Umno candidate Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, 59, who is defending the seat, being challenged by PAS candidate Abdul Karim Nor, PKR-PPBM's Dr Abdul Rasid Mohamed and PSM's Mat Nor Ayat.
Cameron Highlands, a traditionally MIC seat since the 2004 General Election, was previously held by former MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel.
Earlier, the media had reported that Kayveas had openly expressed his intention to contest the seat. — Bernama