Ready to contest in state polls if selected - Altimet

SHAH ALAM - Famous rapper and composer Altimet neither confirmed nor denied speculation that he will run as a Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate in the upcoming Selangor polls.

However, Altimet or in his real name, Syed Ahmad Syed Abdul Rahman Alhadad, 45, expressed his readiness to contest if elected on nomination day.

"For the time being, I haven't heard anything yet, so I have to wait for the nomination day first.

"If my name is nominated, whether I want to or not, I have to be ready. Try to do my best, God willing. If destined for something else, I will also do my best," he told Sinar Harian.

Commenting on the opinion of some parties who felt that candidates among celebrity lacked public trust in the previous election, the Ampang Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) chief has his own views on the matter.

"Why did they lack trust? I think it may be because they consider artists not part of the society and cannot be part of the democratic or leadership process.

"This perception has to be corrected and we need to be fair to everyone. So maybe we artists need to prove something.

"In terms of political belief or conviction, it's up to individuals. There are people who look at candidates and don't care which party and vice versa," he said.

The singer who is well-known for his song Amboi had reportedly refused to contest in the 15th General Election (GE15) last year because he was not ready to take on the challenge.