BN's Pekan candidate counts on experience working with Najib to face GE15

Sheikh Mohd Puzi Sheikh Ali, the BN candidate who is tasked to defend jailed former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's Pekan seat in the 15th general election (GE15), has dubbed the job as a "heavy responsibility."

However, the incumbent Peramu Jaya assemblyperson expressed hope that the seat will be retained by BN with a huge majority.

According to Puzi (above), he did not foresee many challenges in carrying out election-related work as he used to serve as an aide to Najib when the latter was serving as prime minister.

"I was an officer overseeing Pekan-related affairs then. So all that experience, and my two terms as an assemblyperson, are deeply embedded in me.

"God willing, all the efforts and hard work will continue to strengthen Pekan," he told reporters after the Pahang BN's GE15 candidates' announcement event this morning.

In the event, Puzi was named as BN's candidate for the Pekan parliamentary seat, while his incumbent state seat of Peramu Jaya which falls under the constituency, was given to Najib's son, Mohd Nizar Najib to be contested.

Puzi is the first BN candidate who is not from the "Razak family" in 63 years to contest for the Pekan parliamentary seat.

The seat was held by Najib's father - second prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein from 1959 to 1976.

Najib took over the seat from his father in 1976 after the latter’s untimely demise and has held it until now. Najib is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence for corruption in the RM42 million SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

Meanwhile, Puzi said the issue of Najib's legacy does not arise in this election as Nizar is still contesting in a state seat under Pekan.

When asked about the possibility of multi-corned fights for the seat, Puzi also played it down saying: "It's simple. This is a democratic country and everyone has the right to contest."

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