GE14 | Zahid Mat Arip, a grandson of a former deputy prime minister, the late Ghafar Baba, will be fielded as the Harapan candidate in Pekan, the constituency of caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Zahid is a Bersatu supreme council member and former special officer to ex-Felda chairperson Mohamed Isa Samad.

Mahathir is expected to announce Zahid's candidacy soon.

In a statement today, Bersatu's proposed candidate for the Pekan parliamentary seat, Kamarul Ariffin Mohd Shahar, said he would make way for Zahid to stand in the constituency.

Kamarul, who was announced as the Pekan candidate on April 15, made the decision after meeting party chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"He explained in detail on our strategy for the Pekan seat. Based on his explanation, it is clear that Pekan will be getting a shock that will change the political landscape in Malaysia," he said.

Mahathir, he added, asked him to withdraw his candidacy to give way to another person.

"I nodded as a sign to giving way to Zahid to replace me in Pekan," Kamarul said.

Zahid was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in August last year to assist the probe into an overpriced hotel purchase by Felda Investment Corporation (FIC) in Kuching.

He has denied any wrongdoing.

It is believed that Bersatu is relying on Zahid to harp on scandals linked to Felda.

Felda settlers are located in 12 parliamentary seats and 27 state seats in Pahang, the home state of Najib.