SHAH ALAM - Barisan Nasional (BN) is only contesting 12 seats in the Selangor state assembly for the state election on August 12.
In the 14th General Election, BN won five of the 56 state assembly seats in Selangor with two incumbents being retained, namely Umno Sabak Bernam division chief Datuk Rizam Ismail (Sungai Air Tawar State Assembly) and Selangor Umno Youth chief Datuk Mohd Imran Tamrin in Sungai Panjang State Assembly.
Three of them were dropped, which were Datuk Mohd Shamsudin Lias (Sungai Burong), Zakaria Hanafi (Semenyih) and Rosni Sohar (Hulu Bernam).
The Sungai Burong and Semenyih state assembly seats would be contested by Tanjong Karang Umno division deputy chief Mohamad Khir Ramli and Hulu Langat Umno division Women's chief Wan Zulaika Anua, while BN would not be defending the Hulu Bernam state assembly seat.
On the other hand, BN candidate will instead compete in the Batang Kali state assembly by featuring the Hulu Selangor Umno division chief Datuk Mohd Isa Abu Kasim.
In addition to the five seats won in the last GE14, the party also competed in seven other seats in the state after negotiating and finalising the distribution of seats with PH.
The seven seats would be contested by Selangor Umno chairman Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin in Gombak Setia and his deputy Datuk Johan Abdul Aziz in Dusun Tua.
Other candidates named were Kuala Selangor Umno Division Chief Datuk Jahaya Ibrahim in (Jeram), Selayang Umno Chief Datuk Hasnal Rezua Merican Habib Merican (Kuang) and Sepang Umno Division Chief Noorazli Said (Dengkil).
Two more candidates named were Kapar Umno division chief Datuk Mohd Roslee Abd Hamid (Selat Klang) and Kuala Langat Umno Youth chief Mohd Al Hafizi Abu Bakar (Sijangkang).
The announcement of the BN candidates was announced by its Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the Dewan Tun Hussein Onn, Kuala Lumpur World Trade Center (WTC) tonight.