State polls: Mahdzir makes comeback, new face going against Sanusi in Jeneri
ALOR SETAR - Kedah Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid is leading the party's candidates contesting for 15 Kedah state seats in the upcoming election.
Mahdzir was said to be a candidate for the Kedah Menteri Besar position for the BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and would return to contest for the Pedu state seat.
The Padang Terap Umno division chief held the Pedu assemblyman post in 2004 before he was appointed as Kedah Menteri Besar.
In the 15th General-Election (GE15), Mahdzir failed to defend his seat in the Padang Terap Parliament.
Rumours of Mahdzir creating history if he was appointed as the state Menteri Besar for the second time if the coalition had won Kedah became stronger as he was contesting for the state seat.
The Kedah BN candidate who will be contesting on Aug 12, highlighted at least 10 new faces including five women.
The overall state election candidates comprised youths combined with those who were experienced in the party to strengthen the competition.
The ‘hot’ Jeneri seat would have Sik Umno division chief Datuk Muhamad Khizri Abu Kassim facing caretaker Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor who will be defending his seat.
Four more new faces were also fielded including Jerlun Umno division deputy chief Hayazi Azizan at the Ayer Hitam state assembly, Kubang Pasu Umno division deputy chief Zainol Abidin Mohamad (Bukit Kayu Hitam), Pendang Umno division deputy chief Mohamad Fadzil Zolkipli (Sungai Tiang) as well as Jerai Umno division deputy chief Abdul Paris Abdul Hamid (Guar Chempedak).
Kedah BN has lined up five candidates from the Wanita and Puteri wings in their mission to win back Kedah.
The candidates were Hisham Suhaily Othman in the Ayer Hangat state assembly, Datin Nor Hasita Md Isa (Anak Bukit), Wan Mohalina Wan Mohamad (Pantai Merdeka), Suriati Che Mid (Kupang) and Kedah Umno Puteri chief Nuraini Yusoff in Bandar Baharu.
Two incumbents who contributed to two Kedah BN state seats who were former Sungai Tiang assemblyman for four terms Datuk Suraya Yaakob and Datuk Nor Sabrina Mohd Nor who won for two terms in Bandar Baharu were not nominated.
Suraya who was the Pendang Umno division chief was replaced by her deputy Mohamad Fadzil while Nor Sabrina was replaced by Nuraini.
Besides Mahdzhir, the old faces i the party will also be fielded to create more competition in the polls.
They were Pokok Sena Umno division chief Datuk Said Ali Syed Rastan in Bukit Lada state assembly, Padang Serai Umno division chief Datuk Asmadi Abu Talib (Merbau Pulas) and Datuk Ishak Mat (Bayu).
The list of 14 Kedah BN candidates was announced by Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki at the capital on Friday despite the seats contested by the party were 15 state seats.
The Tanjung Dawai state assembly candidate would be announced soon. It was understood that the seat was still under negotiation regarding the leadership choice on who would be fielded as a candidate.
Kedah has 36 state seats for the election and 21 seats would be contested by PH.
The PH-BN coalition will meet as allies for the first time since the formation of the unity government.
The coalition’s agreement was in line with their ‘kalih bagi sama’ campaign on a mission to take Kedah from the Pas-Perikatan Nasional (PN) leadership which controlled 20 seats before the state assembly dissolution on June 28.
The Election Commission (EC) set July 29 as the nomination day, Aug 8, for early voting and Aug 12, as polling day.
Based on the electoral roll issued by the EC, the number of registered voters in Kedah was 1,585,085.
There were 104,284 youth voters aged 18 to 20.
