Former Penang PAS general election director Mazlan Ismail has been entrusted to lead the BN's challenge in Permatang Pauh against opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in the upcoming 13th general election.

Attention will also be focused on Umno Youth information chief Reezal Merican Naina Merican who will be contesting the Kepala Batas parliamentary seat, replacing former prime minister and incumbent MP Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who has withdrawn from contesting.

NONE On his background, Mazlan ( left ), 53, said yesterday: "I am a former Penang PAS Youth deputy chief and was the state PAS general election machinery director in 1999 and 2004.

"I believe this experience has prepared me for my political struggle in Permatang Pauh."

Mazlan's experience in the corporate world, his last position being vice-president at Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), is also seen as giving him an advantage.

While vowing to expose the flaws in the opposition pact led by Anwar, Mazlan said: " Insya Allah (God willing), I can win and I am ready to serve the people as a full-time politician."

permatang pauh by election results map 260808 He is among the candidates chosen by BN to contest in 13 parliamentary seats and 40 state seats in Penang in the GE13 on May 5.

Mazlan, a local-born, has a degree in electronic communications from the University of Salford, United Kingdom and PhD in intellectual capital management from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

He is not intimidated by the fact that he will be contesting in the polls for the first time, saying "the BN grassroots support I receive has motivated me not to fear Anwar's popularity".

Meanwhile, state BN chairperson Teng Chang Yeow told reporters after announcing the list of Penang BN candidates in George Town, that the youngest of the new faces was Loo Jieh Sheng, 31, from Gerakan who would be contesting the Air Itam state seat.

Teng, who had contested the Padang Kota state seat twice, has now moved to Bukit Tengah.

He said the decision to contest in a new area in Seberang Perai on the mainland was not because be was scared to contest on the island, as claimed by DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

"The fear factor does not arise but it's a strategy decided by the party leadership," he said.

Among the names dropped from contesting this time is Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nor Mohamed Yakcop, who was the incumbent for Tasek Gelugor.

- Bernama