Mahkota polls: PN hopes to score winner with football coach

Mohd Haizan Jaafar is Perikatan Nasional’s candidate for the upcoming Mahkota state by-election in Johor.

The 58-year-old was a semi-pro football player and has represented Johor at the state level, said PN secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin in Kluang, Johor, earlier tonight.

He said Haizan is known as “coach” among the locals for his experience in coaching youth football. He is also a Kluang Bersatu committee member.

“The PN leadership is confident that the experienced coach (Haizan), who knows the voice of the younger generation and the pulse of the community, will bring Kluang and Mahkota to emerge as a harmonious, prosperous, and advanced region,” said Hamzah.

Mahkota and Mengkibol are state constituencies within the Kluang federal constituency in Johor.

Also at the candidate announcement ceremony was Johor PAS chief Abdullah Husin who described Haizan as a candidate known by many and supported by all races.

Two days ago, Kluang Umno Youth chief Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah was named the candidate for the coalition government in the upcoming Mahkota by-election.

The Election Commission set Sept 28 as polling day for the Mahkota by-election, while nomination and early voting dates are Sept 14 and 24, respectively.

The by-election was called following the death of the incumbent assemblyperson, Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain, 63, on Aug 2.

In the 2022 Johor state election, Sharifah won by a comfortable margin of 5,166 voters over Pakatan Harapan’s Muhammad Taqiuddin Cheman.

She secured 16,611 votes over Taqiuddin’s tally of 11,445 with PN’s Mohamad Nor Lingan coming in a distant third with 7,614 votes.

Father of BN's Mahkota candidate dies

DAP-Umno ties in by-election unaffected by halal issue - Teo

All Johor DAP leaders must work together to secure BN win in Mahkota - Liew

Mahkota seat up for grabs, says PAS sec-gen