SENTUL – Independent candidate for the Batu parliamentary constituency Nur Fathiah Syazwana Shaharuddin or better known as Cleopatra says while education is important, it should not hinder anyone’s chances of participating in the political arena.
The influencer-turned-politician said while she acknowledged the importance of education, it should not be set as a benchmark for anyone who wished to join politics.
"There are a lot of Masters or PhD holders, but they still cannot serve as an MP,” she told Sinar Daily.
She said it was all about their intentions and what they wanted to fight for.
"Yes, education is a platform but what is important is their goals to help the constituency,” she said.
Cleopatra said she did not think that her decision to contest in the 15th General Election (GE15) was a problem.
She said she stepped into the political world with advisors from various fields including the legal and education fields.
"My friends come from many backgrounds that I can actually cover, so it’s going to help me. These advisors are my think tanks, (so) I think that it’s not an issue,” she said commenting on her ability to serve the people.
She said she initially received her education at INTI International College Subang before pursuing her studies at Taylor’s University briefly before she had to quit her due to undisclosed reasons.
She said she got married after that and had a divorce
Cleopatra who was still pursuing her studies in law said before she continued with her studies, she made sure that her children were prioritised.
"I have completed my diploma and now I’m pursuing law,” she said.
Therefore, she said she did not believe that her educational background will become an issue when it came to representing the people of Batu, if she were to be given the people’s mandate.
Cleopatra was harnessing her strength in the social media to rally support from voters.
She also made the announcement that she will be contesting for the Batu parliamentary seat as an independent candidate on social media.
This, received mixed reactions from netizens.
In GE15, she will be contesting against the seat’s incumbent P. Prabakaran (PH), former Batu MP Chua Tian Chang or better known as Tian Chua (Independent) and lawyer and human rights activist Siti Zabedah Kasim (Independent).