Penang BN set to field young faces

Looking forward: Musa (third from right), joining in a show of solidarity after the launch of the state-level Kimma election machinery at the Tanjung Umno division headquaters in George Town. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Barisan Nasional is all set for the15th General Election (GE15) with young and fresh faces forming 60% of its line-up of candidates.

Penang Barisan chairman Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir said the list would also feature experienced candidates so that Barisan has the best line-up to ensure a victory for the coalition.

Besides the new faces, he said the list would include those from the women’s wing.

“Experienced candidates will make up 40% of the list while the rest will be young and new faces.

“People have been asking us to field young candidates. As what has been promised before, we will give opportunity to the young ones to represent Barisan this time,” he told reporters after launching the state-level Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) election machinery at the Tanjung Umno division headquarters here on Friday.

Musa also said the candidates’ list for both state constituencies and parliamentary seats had been forwarded to the Barisan leadership.

For the allocation of state constituencies among the parties, he noted that Barisan’s previous formula during GE14 was Umno contesting in 15 seats, MCA (10), MIC (two) and Gerakan (13).

But since Gerakan is no longer with the coalition now, its 13 seats would be distributed among the coalition members, he said.

However, he said that if the Penang state assembly was not dissolved, Barisan would then focus its attention in contesting the 13 parliamentary seats in GE15.

During GE14, Umno contested in five parliamentary seats, MCA four and Gerakan four.

For GE15, he said Gerakan’s four seats would be distributed among Barisan’s component parties. Musa, who is also Penang Umno chairman, said Barisan was confident of adding more parliamentary and state seats in GE15.