A learning experience for this ex-teacher candidate

Meet and greet: Mohd Nor Izzat distributing pamphlets and introducing himself to the voters at the wet market in Tanjung Malim.

TANJUNG MALIM: A total of 15 men and RM15,000 – that’s all in the arsenal of Independent candidate Mohd Nor Izzat Mohd Johari in his fight for the parliamentary seat of Tanjung Malim.

The former teacher said he does not have much funds to print T-shirts, big posters or other campaign materials, while his “army” is made up of his friend’s son, acquaintances and social media followers.

Starting today, he will be holding online ceramah to reach out to as many voters as possible.

It has been a learning process for him, said the 37-year-old who is better known as Cikgu Izzat.

“Before this, I did not know that you would need to spend so much on a campaign,” he lamented.

Still, he remains in high spirits as he goes about on his campaign.

He has been spending time at markets, in towns and food courts.

“This is me, Cikgu Izzat, please support me,” he introduced himself to passers-by, handing them a tiny pamphlet.

Printed on it, among others, is his name, age, photograph, logo as well as his candidate number.

Mohd Nor Izzat, a Kuala Lumpur-born activist on education and social issues, decided to contest here because the town means a lot to him.

Besides spending four years studying visual communication of art education at the Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) here, this is also the place where he met his wife Syazwani Abdul Malik.

Mohd Nor Izzat said Tanjung Malim has not progressed much from his days in UPSI from 2007 to 2011.

“I want to turn this town into an education hub and tourist destination,” he added.

He admitted to being the underdog among the other contenders for the seat – MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon, PKR vice-president and incumbent MP Chang Lih Kang, and Perikatan Nasional’s Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi.

His other challengers are Dr Amir Hamzah Abdul Rajak from Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) and Independent Datuk Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi.

Mohd Nor Izzat said he was grateful to his family for their support and understanding.

“No matter how packed my schedule is and no matter where I am, I would always go home twice a week to spend time with them,” he said.