PEKAN: The Pekan parliamentary seat will see a five-cornered contest with its incumbent MP and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak out of the running for the first time since 1976.
While neither of his family members will take up the seat, his eldest son Datuk Mohd Nizar Najib will be contesting the Peramu Jaya state seat for Barisan Nasional.
The five candidates for Pekan are Datuk Seri Sh Mohmed Puzi Sh Ali from Barisan, Mohd Naim Zainal Abidin (Pakatan Harapan), Mohd Fadhil Noor Abdul Karim (Perikatan Nasional), Datuk Mohammad Radhi Abdul Razak (Pejuang) and Independent candidate Tengku Zainul Hisham Tengku Hussin.
Election Commission officer Datuk Zaliza Zulkipli announced the parliamentary candidates as well as those running for state seats at the Sultan Ahmad Shah Convention Hall here at 12.44pm yesterday, almost three hours after nominations closed.
One candidate had his papers rejected – Pejuang’s Mohammad Radhi – who was hoping to run for the Pulau Manis state seat along with Barisan’s Datuk Khairuddin Mahmud, Perikatan’s Mohammad Rafiq Khan Ahmad Khan and Pakatan’s Mohd Khairil Khalid.
Other than Mohd Nizar, those contesting the Peramu Jaya state seat will be Tigumon Abdul Hamid of Pakatan, Abu Talib Muhammad of Perikatan and Independent candidate Tengku Zainul Hisham.
The Bebar state seat will see a three-cornered fight between incumbent Datuk Mohammad Fakharuddin Mohd Ariff (Barisan), Amanah’s Ibrahim Sulaiman (Pakatan) and Narzatul Haidarsakim (Perikatan).
The Chini state seat will be contested by Mohd Sharim Md Zain from Barisan, Mohamad Yazid Che Mat of Pakatan and Fahrur Rozi from Perikatan.
The atmosphere in the hall was calm and cordial, with opposing candidates even hugging each other and wishing each other the best. Outside the convention hall, supporters from the three coalitions stood in separate areas, singing party songs and chanting their party slogans.
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