The Bentong Gerakan division has recommended four individuals as possible candidates in the upcoming Ketari by-election.

Gerakans Ketari branch chairman Yum Ah Ha, 51, a lawyer; deputy chairman of Perting branch Dr Ng Kong Chai, 42, a dentist; branch chairman of Bandar Karak Leong Yen Kong, 60, a Commissioner of Oaths; and Sungai Dua branch chairman Leong Ah Khuan, 46, a logging operator have been named.

According to a Bernama report, Gerakan president Dr Lim Keng Yaik was reported to have said that their names would be submitted to the party's central committee for a decision soon.

He also remarked at the Bentong Gerakan meeting last night that the four members are qualified, very experienced and known to the local people.

Lim said that the four had promised to support and cooperate with whoever was picked as the candidate.

The Ketari seat fell vacant following the demise of Gerakans Loke Koon Kam last Sunday.

However, the Elections Commission has yet to set a date for the by-election.

On the same note, Pahang MIC chairman R Sinnathamby expressed confidence that the 907 Indian voters in the constituency would support the ruling Barisan Coalition.

He was reported to have said in Mentakab today that the Indian community in the past had not disappointed BN and that this time around, BN could still count on their support.

The Indian minority make up 5.23 percent of the Ketari electorate.

Sinnathamby also dismissed DAP's claim (that the majority of Indians in the area supported the opposition) as a ploy, and declared that Indians always support the BN government.

Kongsai factor

Meanwhile, malaysiakini learnt today that the fight for the Gerakan candidacy could be narrowed down to a lawyer verses dentist contest.

Gerakan Ketari branch chairman Yum Ah Ha practises as a lawyer, while Dr Ng Kong Chai, deputy chairman of Perting branch, is a dentist. The two have been tipped as the favourites to represent the ruling Barisan Nasional in the coming by-election.

The kongsai (dialect) factor is very important to determine who will actually be Gerakans candidate, as most of the voters are speak kongsai, revealed Cheah Cheng Huat, press secretary to the Gerakan president Lim Keng Yaik.

Cheah also told malaysiakini that the Gerakan central working committee would probably be conducting an emergency meeting tomorrow afternoon to decide their preferred candidate conclusively.

Party president Lim will submit the name of the candidate to Barisan Nasional chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday, he added.