Sec-gen Amira Aisya is Muda's candidate for Puteri Wangsa
Muda president Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman today announced his 27-year-old party secretary-general Amira Aisya Abd Aziz as the candidate for Puteri Wangsa in the Johor polls.
Syed Saddiq described Amira Asiya as the backbone of Muda. He also related how she had...
JOHOR POLLS | Muda president Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman today announced his 27-year-old party secretary-general Amira Aisya Abd Aziz as the candidate for Puteri Wangsa in the Johor polls.
Syed Saddiq described Amira Asiya as the backbone of Muda. He also related how she had threatened to cut ties with him during the Sheraton Move if he betrayed the people's mandate.
"She told me that if you betrayed the people you're no longer a friend...
And I will also not forget that in the same message, she said even if I am expelled and lose my position, if I form a party a multiracial and multireligious party that upholds the voice of the youths, then she will be the first to join the party.
"Today that conversation is history and it marked the start of Muda," he said during an event attended by around 100 supporters in Puteri Wangsa this evening.
Taking the stage, Amira Aisya related how she came from a family of educators and had been aversed towards politics.
However, during her work with the Education Performance and Delivery Unit (Padu), where she helped draft education policies relating to Orang Asli, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education and also a substantive addendum to the National Education Blueprint.
Amira said after the Sheraton Move, she came to realise good policies cannot happen without good political leadership.
"I grew up at my grandmother's home in Kampung Melayu Majidee (in Johor Bahru) and saw how when leaders are corrupt, greedy and abuse their power, it impacts the socio-economic system.
During my childhood, many of my friends dropped out of school, some became pregnant while in school and others got involved in drugs. All this goes back to the socio-economic system and policies implemented in Malaysia.
"When we have a good education, we will be able to break the cycle of poverty," she said.
She added that she was also inspired by her mother, who as a single mother and a teacher, treated her students like her own children.
She pledged to work on education issues in Puteri Wangsa as well as to support struggling small businesses during the Covid-19 and frontliners to help ensure safety and security.
The law graduate, who happened to celebrate her 27th birthday today, also tearily apologised to her mother, who used to serve as a headmistress at a local school.
"I promised mother that I will never enter politics because it is a dirty word. I am sorry I have to break that promise but I want to get your blessing because nothing means more than a mother's and grandfather's blessing," she told the mother who was present.
She acknowledged that she did not have much experience in politics but had dedicated her life to community service from a young age.
"We have to do away with the policies of money and power for politics based on service, policies and values. This is my promise, she said.
The Puteri Wangsa seat was initially allocated to Amanah but the party agreed to allow Muda to contest in the seat.
Also present at the event were Pakatan Harapan allies including DAP's incumbent Stulang assemblyperson Andrew Chen Kah Eng.
In the last general election, Bersatu candidate Mazlan Bujang won the Puteri Wangsa seat with the 24,949-vote majority while Bersatu was still part of the Harapan coalition.
Bersatu later quit Harapan. Subsequently, following the dissolution of the Johor assembly, Mazlan quit Bersatu to back Umno.
At a press conference later, Syed Saddiq, who is also the Muar MP, was asked if he will also be contesting a state seat.
He did not give a direct answer but said the priority was to promote new talent.
"When Muda was founded, it was to give more opportunities to candidates who are credible and have a vision, not to provide opportunities to someone who is already elected as the Muar MP.
"Whether I contest or not, the priority now is to promote new talents," he said.
He also declined to divulge details about the negotiations of PKR, reiterating that discussions should be behind closed doors out of mutual respect.
Johoreans will go to the polls on March 12. Nomination day is fixed on Feb 26.
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