GE14 | As Pakatan Harapan component parties completed their candidate lists, PKR today finally released the names of its eight parliamentary candidates and 12 state candidates for Johor.

According to a statement issued by PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, there will be no high-profile leaders from the party contesting in the state, which has been declared as the frontline battleground for Harapan in the 14th general election.

Several names had previously been floated to undertake the battle in Johor, including three PKR vice-presidents Nurul Izzah Anwar, Tian Chua and Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin.

However, caretaker Penang deputy chief minister I Rashid Hasnon will leave the state seat of Pantai Jerejak and go south to Johor to defend Batu Pahat, the only parliamentary seat PKR won in Johor in 2013.

Despite being born in Muar, Rashid started his political career in Penang. In the 13th general election, he successfully defended the PKR-held Pantai Jerejak state seat and was subsequently sworn-in as deputy chief minister I.

Following Wan Azizah’s announcement, it means that the incumbent Idris, Jusi has been dropped. Batu Pahat is a Malay majority seat, with 54 percent Malay voters, 43 percent Chinese and 1.3 percent Indian.

A little-known figure, Idris defeated Umno supreme council member Puad Zakarsi with a majority of 1,732 votes in the 2013 election.

Puad was not nominated for GE14. Instead, Batu Pahat Wanita Umno chief Haliza Abdullah will contest the seat.

In the much-watched battleground in Greater Johor Bahru, PKR will field its Johor state chief Hassan Karim, Johor Bahru division chief Akmal Nasir and Tebrau division chief Steven Choong to contest in the parliamentary seats of Pasir Gudang, Johor Bahru and Tebrau.

Hassan will face caretaker Johor menteri besar Khaled Nordin while Akmal will fight Umno veteran Shahrir Samad. Both are considered tough fights, while Choong may have an easier battle with MCA vice-president Hou Kok Chong.

The full list of candidates: