GEORGE TOWN: The presence of one or two independent candidates contesting the Hulu Selangor parliamentary by-election will not cause anxiety or put pressure on PKR candidate Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng on Thursday, April 15.

"We are not perturbed by the presence of independent candidates. It is a democratic process which anyone can participate in," Lim said. "It is their democratic right to do so."

"I believe it will not put pressure on Zaid. The people will judge for themselves," Lim said at a press conference attended by Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Othman and Deputy Chief Minister II Professor P Ramasamy.

On another matter, Ramasamy said negotiations for the monorail test track in Batu Kawan were ongoing. Though a letter of intent had been given to one of the two companies interested to set up the test track, Ramasamy said the negotiations had yet to be finalised between the Penang Development Corporation and the two companies.

The Edge weekly had reported last October that Datuk Jeyakumar Varathan of MRails Sdn Bhd had obtained the green light to build a test track in Batu Kawan costing RM70 million.

Lim had said then that another site would be allocated to another local party but declined to name the party as negotiations were still ongoing.

It was announced in November that both companies would be allowed to put up 1km test tracks either in Batu Kawan or Nibong Tebal on the mainland.