Mukhriz Mahathir will be contesting the Jerlun parliament seat, while controversial parliamentarian Badruddin Amiruldin has been retained to defend his Jerai seat, said the ruling BN coalition in Kedah today.

Mukhriz, who is son of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was initially tipped to fight the Langkawi seat but it will now be contested by the incumbent member of parliament, Abu Bakar Taib.

Also retained to defend his Kubang Pasu seat is controversial Mohd Johari Baharom, the deputy internal security minister who was alleged to have accepted more than RM5 million in bribes to free a number of detainees linked to organised crime in the 'freedom for sale' scandal .

He was however subsequently cleared by the authorities.

Badruddin’s tunnel remarks

Badruddin was infamous for his politically incorrect remarks including chiding the short skirt worn by AirAsia female cabin crew to the point that ‘the tunnel’ could be seen.

Meanwhile, dropped from the candidates list are television personality and motivational speaker Dr Mashitah Ibrahim (Baling) and former information minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir (Kulim-Bandar Baharu) who will be replaced by his younger brother, Aziz.

One-third of the BN line-up which was announced by Kedah Mentri Besar Mahdzir Khalid are new faces, including Umno Putera chief Aziz Rahim, who will be contesting Baling.

Another debutante is Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s political secretary Osman Desa, who will be fighting in Sik.

Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin has been moved from his Merbok seat to contest Sungai Petani instead.

BN line-up in Kedah

Parliament

Langkawi - Abu Bakar Taib

State

Ayer Hangat - Mohd Rawi Abd Hamid

Kuah - Ir Nawawi Ahmad

Parliament

Jerlun - Mukhriz Mahathir

State

Kota Siputeh - Abu Hassan Sharif

Ayer Hitam - Othman Aziz

Parliament

Kubang Pasu - Johari Baharom

State

Bukit Kayu Hitam - Ahmad Zaini Japar

Jitra - Aman Khan Hussain

Parliament

Padang Terap - Ghazali Ibrahim

State

Kuala Nerang - Syed Sobri Syed Hashim

Pedu - Mahdzir Khalid

Parliament

Pokok Sena - Abdul Rahman Ibrahim

State

Bukit Lada - Ariffin Man

Bukit Pinang - Che Omar Saad

Derga - Cheah Soon Hai

Parliament

Alor Setar - Chor Chee Heung

State

Bakar Bata - Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah

Kota Darul Aman - Chong Itt Chew

Alor Mengkudu - Mazlan Abd Rahman

Parliament

Kuala Kedah - Hashim Jayaha

State

Anak Bukit - Haris Fadzilah Husain

Kubang Rotan - Nordin Salleh

Pengkalan Kundor - Mohd Jamil Md Idross

Parliament

Pendang - Md Rozai Shafian

State

Tokai - Fatimah Ismail

Sungai Tiang - Suraya Yaacob

Parliament

Jerai - Badruddin Amiruldin

State

Sungai Timur - Basori Abu Hassan

Guar Chempedak - Dr Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail

Gurun - Leong Yong Kong

Parliament

Sik - Datuk Osman Desa

State

Belantek - Tajuddin Abdullah

Jeneri - Hasbullah L Isa

Parliament

Merbok -Datuk Tajul Urus Md Zin

State

Bukit Selambau - S Krishnan

Tanjung Dawai - Arzmi Abdul Hamid

Parliament

Sungai Petani - Zainuddin Maidin

State

Pantai Merdeka - Dr Shuib Saedin

Bakar Arang - Soon Kok Wah

Sidam - Fong chok Gin @ Fong Tok Jeng

Parliament

Baling - Aziz Rahim

State

Bayu - Azmi Che Hussein

Kupang - Ismail Abu Bakar

Kuala Ketil - Firdaus Zakaria

Parliament

Padang Serai - Boey Chin Gan

State

Merbau Pulas - Mohd Hadzir Ismail

Lunas - S Ananthan

Parliament

Kulim-Bandar Bharu - Aziz Sheikh Fadzir

State

Kulim - Lim Lee Choo

Bandar Baharu - Azimi Daim