Candidates working extra hard to woo important Selangor voters

Flag war: Harapan and Perikatan banners and flags lining the streets in Gombak, Selangor in the lead up to the elections tomorrow. — Bernama

KLANG: Politicians from both sides of the divide will be going on their final round of campaigning to convince voters to support their candidates in the Selangor state election tomorrow.

Wresting Selangor, one of the “crown jewels” in the peninsula, from Pakatan Harapan that has helmed the state since 2008 would be a major feat for Perikatan Nasional.

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Pakatan candidates, especially incumbents in constituencies in northern Selangor, said they would not be taking things lightly, while some Perikatan candidates believe they are making headway.

In the 15th General Election (GE15) last November, Perikatan won six parliamentary seats with Kapar, Kuala Langat and Hulu Selangor going to PAS, while Bersatu captured Sabak Bernam, Sungai Besar and Tanjong Karang.

Selangor has 22 parliamentary seats and 56 state seats.

According to Selangor Umno Youth chief Datuk Mohd Imran Tamrin, recent changes in the political landscape were a challenge.

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“In the past, we were partners with Bersatu and PAS under the Muafakat Nasional pact and we were fighting against Pakatan.

“Now we are in partnership with Pakatan and going against Bersatu and PAS,” said Mohd Imran, who is defending his seat in Sungai Panjang.

However, he was confident that Barisan and Pakatan would succeed in defending Selangor.

DAP is expected to win all 15 seats it is contesting, mostly in urban constituencies, according to a political observer.

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All eyes would be on eight constituencies regarded as hot seats, including Hulu Kelang, where the battle is between Perikatan’s Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and Pakatan’s Juwairiya Zulkifli, as well as Permatang where Pakatan’s Yahya Sahri will face Perikatan’s Nurul Syazwani.

Other seats in the spotlight are Taman Medan where Azmin’s protege Dr Afif Bahardin is contesting against Pakatan’s Ahmad Akhir Pawan Chik.

Dr Afif is the former Seberang Jaya assemblyman and was also a state executive councillor in Penang.

He is also a former PKR youth chief but was defeated in the 2018 party polls by Johor Baru MP Akmal Nasrullah Nasir.

There will be a three-cornered fight between incumbent Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari, who is Selangor Bersatu chief, Barisan’s Roslee Abd Hamid and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s former aide Datuk Ezam Nor, who is contesting under the PRM ticket, in Selat Kelang.