KUALA LUMPUR - Barisan Nasional Chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced a total of 160 BN candidates for the 15th General Election (GE15) at Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre (WTCKL), tonight.
"We feel that the time is here for us to accept that the people’s mandate has to be returned.
"Our awareness is based on the responsibility to the people who are waiting for a party that they are able to rely on, ensuring political stability and prosperity is returned to Malaysians,” he said during his speech.
Zahid said BN has brought forward fresh faces to contest and didn’t left behind the experienced candidates to continue for responsibility as BN candidate in the parliament.
Among the 160 seats announced, Zahid is to defend his seat in Bagan Datuk while Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan makes his debut by contesting in the Rembau parliamentary seat replacing three-term incumbent Khairy Jamaluddin.
Khairy, meanwhile, heads to Selangor and will be contesting in Sungai Buloh. Caretaker Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz will contest in Kuala Selangor and Umno Supreme Council Member Isham Jalil to contest in Shah Alam.
Caretaker Prime Minister and Umno Vice President Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will defend Bera parliamentary seat in Pahang.
These names received an overwhelming chants by the supporters for retaining and contesting in the parliamentary seats.
MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong will defend Ayer Hitam parliamentary seat while MIC President Datuk Seri M Saravanan will defend Tapah. MIC's Wanita Chief Mohana Muniandy was named as Kuala Langat BN candidate.
Former MCA President Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai will be contesting in Bentong once more after losing to DAP’s Wong Tack in GE14. This time around, Liow will be Ketari incumbent assemblyman and DAP deputy Youth Chief Young Syefura Othman.
Datuk Chong Sin Woon, who served as Deputy Education Minister II during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s era, will be contesting in Raub.
He previously lost against DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke in GE14.
Meanwhile, imprisoned premier Najib’s Pekan seat will be contested by Peramu Jaya incumbent assemblyman Datuk Seri Sh Mohmed Puzi Sh Ali.