BN announces candidates, secures some concessions from allies

BN has announced its candidates for the upcoming six state elections.

The coalition will be leading the charge in the Perikatan Nasional strongholds of Kelantan and Terengganu.

However, it has managed to secure some concessions in the remaining four states.

Salient points follow:

In SELANGOR, Pakatan Harapan is ceding to BN Dusun Tua and Gombak Setia which the former won in 2018. The two seats were won by DAP’s Edry Faizal Eddy Yusof and Hilman Idham, who defected from PKR in 2020.

The Gombak Setia challenge is expected to be a keen one with Selangor BN fielding its leader Megat Zulkarnain Omardin against Hilman, who is widely expected to be defending his seat on behalf of Perikatan Nasional (PN).

Megat’s deputy Johan Abd Aziz will be BN’s candidate for Dusun Tua.

Selangor BN will be ceding the Hulu Bernam seat to Harapan. The incumbent is Rosni Sohar, who has held the seat for two terms.

Only two of four Selangor BN incumbents will be defending their seats - Rizam Ismail (Sungai Air Tawar) and Mohd Imran Tamrin (Sungai Panjang).

Despite heavy lobbying from the Kota Raja BN division, their leader Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz did not make the candidate list.

In PENANG, BN will be fielding only six candidates. The major surprise here was that PKR ceded Sungai Acheh to BN. The seat was once an Umno stronghold before it fell to PKR in 2018.

Incumbent Sungai Acheh assemblyperson Zulkifli Ibrahim defected to Bersatu in 2020.

Penang BN is also fielding three-term Kepala Batas MP Reezal Merican Naina Merican for the Bertam seat.

Deputy Penang BN chief Shaikh Hussein Mydin will be fielded for Sungai Dua.

In KEDAH, BN will be fielding 15 candidates, meaning the remaining 21 candidates will be from Harapan.

BN will defend three seats and field 12 candidates for seats that were either won by Bersatu or PAS in 2018.

Kedah BN chief Mahdzir Khalid will be fielded in Pedu, a seat which he won twice in 2004 and 2008. Mahdzir was the menteri besar of Kedah from 2005 to 2008.

Sik BN division chief Muhammad Khizri Abu Kassim will be facing off against Kedah PAS chief Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor in Jeneri.

In NEGERI SEMBILAN, BN announced 17 candidates, meaning Harapan will field 19.

Notably, Harapan will be ceding the Lenggeng seat which was won by Amanah’s Suhaimi Kassim in 2018 while BN did not cede any seats where they are the incumbent.

BN will also be fielding an Umno member for the Jeram Padang seat, a seat which BN component party MIC has held for four terms since 2004.

BN components MIC and MCA have decided to sit out of this election.

Two big names in the BN list are Negeri Sembilan BN chief Jalaluddin Alias (Pertang) and Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan (Rantau). They are also the Jelebu and Rembau MP respectively.

BN is also fielding Muhammad Najib Mohd Isa for the Bagan Pinang seat, which was once held by his father and former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Mohd Isa Samad.

In TERENGGANU, BN will field 27 candidates, which means Harapan will only field five.

Leading the charge is Terengganu BN chief Ahmad Said, 66, who will seek a seventh term as the Kijal assemblyperson.

Terengganu BN will defend all 10 incumbent seats.

BN will field its largest contingent in KELANTAN with 31 candidates, leaving 14 for Harapan.

However, Kelantan is the only state where both the state Umno chairperson and deputy chairperson will not be fielded as candidates.

The most notable candidate is Akbar Salim, the Kelantan Umno secretary, who will be vying for Apam Putra.

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