State polls: Pakatan retains Batu Tiga seat, former minister Rina Harun loses

Danial Al-Rashid (front row, second from right) and Najwan Halimi (front row, second from left) celebrating Pakatan Harapan's win, after the two candidates won the Batu Tiga and Kota Anggerik seats respectively for the coalition. - Photo courtesy of Sin Chew

SHAH ALAM: Pakatan Harapan’s Danial Al-Rashid has won the Batu Tiga (N41) state seat in Selangor with a 3,382 majority, beating former minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun of Perikatan Nasional.

Danial, who garnered 29,064 votes, successfully defended the seat that has been held by the coalition since 2008.

The constituency saw a three-cornered fight, with Danial facing Rina who received 25,682 votes and Muda’s Cheda Razak (full name Saiyidah Izzati Nur Razak Maideen) who got 1,908 votes.

Returning officer Asmah Mohd Zin made the announcement at about midnight at the counting centre at Dewan Besar Teratai MBSA in Section 19, Shah Alam.

Batu Tiga was previously held by Pakatan’s PKR, under three-term assemblyman Rodziah Ismail.

She won the state seat in the 2018 General Election with a 15,616 majority.

In the 15th General Election in November last year, Rodziah was fielded as the Pakatan candidate for the Ampang parliamentary constituency and won.

"I have been helping Rodziah since the 2008 General Election. I have no problem continuing her work," said Danial, 38, an adjunct associate professor with a private university.

"I am a local in Shah Alam and I know the on-ground issues here well."

After winning, the Amanah candidate said he will identify a suitable location for a service centre and list his commitments to the people of Batu Tiga.