GE15: Shahidan defending Arau seat under Perikatan

KANGAR: Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim who was dropped by Barisan Nasional in Arau has thrown his glove into the ring on a Perikatan Nasional ticket for the parliamentary constituency.

Voters can expect an entertaining nomination day at Arau's nomination centre on Saturday (Nov 5).

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There are three parliamentary constituencies in Perlis - Arau, Kangar and Padang Besar.

Shahidan first became MP here from 1986 to 1995.

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He went on to serve Umno in other portfolios and returned in 2013 to be the area's MP again from 2013 till Parliament recently dissolved.

But Shahidan has an unconventional agenda for this election.

ALSO READ: PN to nominate Shahidan for Arau, says report

He told reporters he had no grudges against the chosen Barisan candidate for Arau, who is Datuk Rozabil Abdul Rahman, an Arau local who found his fortunes in the capital and became a corporate figure.

He said he wanted to contest because he “wanted to stand against Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi”.

"I will be a candidate against Zahid.

"I am not against the BN candidate in Arau. I will oppose Zahid," he told journalists.

In explaining the absence of Shahidan's name in the recent Barisan candidacy line-up announcement, Ahmad Zahid said even though Shahidan was “winnable”, "his time has passed".

Also entering the fray in Arau will be Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's Gerakan Tanah Air coalition, which is fielding Abdul Razak Abdul Khalek.