JOHOR BARU: A majority of Barisan Nasional’s (BN) candidates for the Johor state election are new faces.
BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said based on his observation, about 70 per cent of the candidates named by the component parties are new faces.
“Most of the candidates also have high academic qualifications and are below 55 in age,” said Ahmad Zahid in his speech at a function to announce the candidates.
He said he is confident that the team presented to the Johor voters will be a game changer that will provide a new hope for Johor.
“We looked at several criteria when determining the candidates where we use the WALI concept which is winability, acceptability and likeability.
“I hope the three elements (new faces, academic qualifications and age) would not only become a game changer, but also provide continuity in the efforts to make Johor the main state in Malaysia that would be further developed,” said Ahmad Zahid.
He also urged BN members to continue to support it’s ‘poster boy’ Datuk Hasni Mohammad so that he can be appointed as the menteri besar.
For the state election, Umno would be contesting in 37 seats, MCA in 15 seats and MIC in four seats.
However, MCA would announce its list of candidates later.
Notable names announced by BN are former Batu Pahat member of Parliament Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi who will contest the Rengit seat and former exco member Mutalib Abd Rahim who will contest in Layang-Layang.
Hasni, meanwhile, will defend his Benut seat while Johor Umno secretary Datuk Samsol Bari Jamali will defend his Semarang seat.
Notable names missing were former exco members Ayub Jamil and Zaiton Ismail.
Source: New Straits Times
