State polls: Kijal's two candidates no strangers to each other, formerly in same party

KEMAMAN: Datuk Seri Ahmad Said and Datuk Rozali Idris, who will be facing each other for the Kijal state seat here in the Terengganu state polls, are no strangers to each other.

Ahmad is representing Barisan Nasional while Rozali is Perikatan Nasional's candidate.

But, in the past, they had become friends when Rozali was a Terengganu Umno Youth chief, while Ahmad headed the party’s state chapter.

Rozali later joined Bersatu, which is part of Perikatan, and he now leads the party's Terengganu chapter.

Contesting in Barisan’s stronghold, Rozali said that he was undeterred by his former party, adding that Ahmad’s influence over the constituency has shrunk over the years.

“Umno might have been strong here back then, but not anymore.

“We could see that over the years, support for Ahmad has reduced, his majority getting smaller. Even in the 15th General Election, he lost the federal seat (Kemaman),” Rozali told reporters after the nomination process at Dewan Sivik Kijal here on Saturday (July 29).

“We need to relook at this perception,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ahmad said his campaign would be driven by the need to continue developing the state holistically.

He cited the projects during his administration between 2008 and 2014 which include infrastructure, sports and education development.

“We want to reinstate the development here in Terengganu.

“Take a look at my track record (as MB), most of the development was during my time — the drawbridge, (tourism) in Kenyir Lake, housing projects and sports developments,” he said.

Ahmad has been the incumbent in Kijal since 1990.

In GE15, he failed to snatch the Kemaman federal seat from its incumbent Che Alias Hamid of Perikatan, who won with a 27,179 majority.

Meanwhile, in Kuala Terengganu, Perikatan’s Datuk Ahmad Amzad Hashim will be making a second bid for the parliamentary constituency after his victory in the 15th General Election was nullified by the Election Court two weeks ago.

Ahmad Amzad, who is from Perikatan Nasional, will face Pakatan Harapan's Azan Ismail.

Polling for the parliamentary constituency has been set on Aug 12, the same day as the Terengganu state polls.