PKR to name former state secretary as Perak MB candidate

PKR will field a heavyweight former senior civil servant for one of the state seats it intends to contest in Perak - and he will then be Pakatan Harapan’s menteri besar candidate.

Malaysiakini learned that Zainal Azman Abu Seman, who served as the deputy director-general of the Public Service Department (JPA), will contest in Kuala Sepetang.

The Malay-majority rural area was won by PKR in the 2008 and 2013 general elections, but the seat was lost to Umno in the 2018 election by just 329 votes.  

A well-placed source from PKR confirmed that Zainal would be Harapan’s MB candidate if the coalition wins the silver state in the 15th general election (GE15).

Zainal has a long history of service in public affairs, including serving as the Perak state secretary during the Harapan administration, which made him ideal for the post, the source added.

He was one of the seven high-profile GE15 election candidates announced by PKR president Anwar Ibrahim last Wednesday.

PKR to name Perak candidates

Perak PKR is set to announce its state seat candidates during the watikah (candidate appointment letter) handover ceremony in Ipoh at 5pm this evening.

Zainal set up his social media accounts a few days ago and posted photos of his recent activities in Northern Perak.

In a Facebook post yesterday, the former civil servant offered himself to serve as a state assemblyperson in Perak with the experience he has had in the public sector.

“I urge all young voters in Perak to choose Harapan this time,” Zainal said.

According to his profile, the 60-year-old Perakian has a higher education background and has served as Perak state secretary and also as secretary-general of the Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry.

His latest position was deputy director-general of the Public Service Department (JPA).

Besides Harapan, BN previously named caretaker menteri besar Saarani Mohamad as their MB candidate. Perikatan Nasional has yet to name its candidates for Perak.

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