GE14 | BN has named Tanjung Piai Umno division head Md Othman Yusuf as its candidate for the state seat of Kukup in Johor.

Md Othman is better known for his role as the spokesperson for the Forest City project, a massive man-made island-city project in south Johor aimed at foreign investors.

He is the executive director of Country Garden Pacificview Sdn Bhd (CGPV), which is the master developer of the project.

Speaking to reporters after the announcement of Johor BN's candidates today, Md Othman said his campaign would involve addressing the opposition's criticism of Forest City.

Md Othman, who won the Kukup seat in the 2008 general election, will be replacing incumbent Suhaimi Salleh, who replaced Md Othman in the last polls in 2013.

Asked to comment speculations by several blogs that he was making an electoral comeback because he was potentially a candidate for menteri besar, Md Othman brushed off the claim. 

"Our mission is to win the election. The nominee (is not important). What is important is that we win," he said.

BN has changed candidates for Kukup for three elections in a row, despite each scoring landslide victories.

In 2013, there were 19,389 eligible voters in Kukup.

China's Country Gardens holds a 66 percent stake in CGPV while Esplanade Danga 88 Sdn Bhd owns the rest.

Md Othman is among Esplanade's director. Esplanade is 64.4 percent owned by Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, according to documents obtained from the Companies Commission.