Pakatan set to announce GE candidates

KUALA TERENGGANU: Pakatan Harapan in Terengganu is set to officially announce candidates who will stand in the coming 14th general election with local born candidates being given the priority.

State Pakatan chairman Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad said everything is settled and is waiting for the Pakatan at the national level to make its announcement.

The Kuala Terengganu MP said the coalition is trying to nominate new faces to contest in the coming election in a bid to breathe new life and hope into the party and the government it hopes to set up if it wins.

“Priority will be given to locals but if there is a chance that an outsider could win the hearts of the Terengganu people, I don’t see any reason why they cannot stand in any of the seats,” he said, adding that the coalition is quite aware of the need for a candidate to understand the circumstances of people they could stand to serve.

He added that candidates would not only have to speak the language but also have a full understanding of local problems and situations.

“Terengganu is different from the west coast where they are quite open to having outside candidates but here, we need to be more careful and look at the sensitivities and needs of the local people,” he said, adding that some areas are also quite conservative.