KUALA LUMPUR - A total of 96 candidates who contested for State Assembly seats in the state elections across six states had to forfeit their deposits following their defeat.
The Malaysia United Democratic Alliance party (Muda) also had to relinquish all their deposit money after being defeated in all 20 State Assembly constituencies they contested.
Among the Muda candidates who were defeated were Muda's Secretary-General, Amir Hariri Abd Hadi, who garnered 1,834 votes in the Seri Serdang State Assembly constituency, and R Thanusha, who received 2,357 votes for the Sentosa seat.
Other than that, Muda's Chief Information Officer, Loqman Long, also suffered defeat with only 372 votes in the Bandar State Assembly constituency in Terengganu. In Penang, Muda's candidate, Vikneswary Harikrishnan, also shared a similar fate, receiving only 253 votes in the Perai State Assembly constituency.
Candidates will lose their deposit if they fail to obtain 1/8 or 12.5 percent of the total votes cast.
During the state elections contesting period, Ng Sze Han, a candidate from Pakatan Harapan (PH), received the highest number of votes, securing 71,290 votes and defeating his challenger Wong Yong Kang from Perikatan Nasional (PN), who received only 16,755 votes in the Kinrara State Assembly constituency.
Meanwhile, in the Taman Medan State Assembly constituency, PN candidate Dr Afif Bahardin won with the narrowest majority of only 30 votes, receiving 22,316 votes in a closely contested battle.
Additionally, the oldest candidate in this state election, Deputy Chairman of the Malaysian People's Party (PRM) MS Ravinder Singh, aged 80, lost in a four-cornered contest in the Pantai Jerejak State Assembly constituency against PH candidate Fahmi Zainol, Oh Tong Keong from PN, and Muda candidate Loh Xiang Pin.
With a mere 76 votes, the former teacher (Ravinder) had to accept the fact of losing the deposit.
The youngest candidate, Melanie Ting Yi-Hlin, aged 23, also had to accept the lost and forfeit her deposit after receiving only 1,462 votes.
Ting faced a three-cornered contest in the Bukit Antarabangsa State Assembly constituency against PH candidate Mohd Kamri Kamaruddin who garnered 30,772 votes, and Shasha Lyna Abdul Latif from PN who received 14,492 votes.
The state election across six states marked the first battlefield in which the PH coalition, comprising PKR, DAP, and Amanah, partnered with Barisan Nasional to face the challenge posed by PN, formed by Bersatu, Pas, and Gerakan. - BERNAMA