KELANTAN BN: THIS IS OUR CHANCE TO WIN BACK STATE

Coalition targeting to win at least 32 of the 45 state seats

THE 14th General Election (GE14) is the best chance for Kelantan Barisan Nasional to wrest back the state, state BN chairman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said.

Speaking after announcing the list of BN candidates for the state at the Kelantan Umno building here yesterday, he said BN was targeting to win at least 32 of the 45 state seats.

Mustapa appealed to those who were not happy with the list to put party interest above everything else.

“If they don’t, it will affect BN’s chance of winning back Kelantan.”

He said all the candidates for the 14 parliamentary seats and 45 state seats in Kelantan were approved by BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Mustapa said all the candidates should shoulder the responsibilities entrusted upon them to ensure BN emerged victorious in Kelantan, so that the coalition could help the state again after 28 years under the opposition.

“To all the candidates, we want them to work with full commitment. We want to win in Kelantan.” He described those chosen to battle it out in GE14 in the east coast state as the best candidates who were capable of bringing victory to the party.

This, he said, was because the candidates came from varied backgrounds ranging from political leaders, youth leaders, government officers, those from the private sector, religious scholars and members of non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

He said two new faces would be among the candidates contesting the parliamentary seats.

They were Nor Azmawi Ab Rahman (Pasir Mas) and Fikhran Hamshi Mohd Fatmi (Kota Baru).

Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has been nominated to stand again for the Pasir Puteh seat after he lost in the fight for the Tumpat parliamentary seat in 2008.

“At the state constituencies, 62 per cent or 28 of the candidates are new faces, including eight young candidates and five women candidates.

“Their names were given by divisional chiefs, party component leaders and NGOs,” he said, adding that except for Datuk Nozula Mat Diah (Paloh state seat), all the parliamentary representatives would remain while those at the state seats would either remain, or switch to other state seats.

Mustapa thanked Nozula for his 28 years of service as Paloh assemblyman. Additional reporting by Mohd Razis Ismail

FATHIL ASRI PIC BY Kelantan Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed (front row, eighth from left) and BN parliamentary and state seat candidates in Kota Baru yesterday.