THE MORE THE MERRIER IN KEDAH
42 seats to see 3-cornered fight, some may have 4, 5 contenders
THE multi-cornered fights at all parliamentary and state seats in Kedah are expected to spice things up as campaigning for the 14th General Election (GE14) kicked off yesterday.
Besides the three heavyweights, Barisan Nasional, Pas and four-party opposition pact contesting under the PKR symbol, Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) and independent candidates have also joined the fray.
A total of 163 candidates entered the battle for 15 parliamentary and 36 state seats.
Thirteen parliamentary and 29 state seats will be three-cornered battles, while some are expected to be even merrier, with four- and five-cornered fights.
As expected, five parliamentary seats have emerged as hot seats, namely Langkawi, Jerlun, Kubang Pasu, Pokok Sena and Alor Star.
The state seats to watch out for are Jitra, Suka Menanti, Anak Bukit and Gurun, while the battles for Bukit Lada and Bukit Pinang are also no less interesting.
Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is contesting the Langkawi parliamentary seat, suddenly brought the island into the limelight.
Dr Mahathir, 93, is returning to the polls after 19 years, making him the oldest candidate to contest in GE14.
BN candidate Datuk Nawawi Ahmad, who is defending the seat for the second term, said he was not intimidated by the former premier’s challenge, but admitted that he would not take things for granted.
The Langkawi Umno division chief said he was ready physically and mentally to contest, banking on his track record of serving his constituents.
Besides Langkawi, the other parliamentary hot seat is Jerlun, where Dr Mahathir’s youngest son, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, will be battling former party comrade and friend Datuk Othman Aziz and Pas candidate Abd Ghani Ahmad.
Aziz, who is also deputy finance minister, is defending the seat that he took over from Mukhriz five years ago. He said it would be a battle of which party having a better policy instead of personal matters.
“The polls is all about the party and not individual. All the while in BN, we (Mukhriz and him) never had any problem.
“So, I hope we will not break this friendship just because of the general election.”
The sentiment was shared by Mukhriz, who pledged a fair contest and well-mannered campaign.
Besides the big guns in politics, the candidacy of Kedah football legend Muhamad Radhi Mat Din in the Pokok Sena parliamentary seat is also another interesting development, especially when he is facing four-term incumbent Datuk Mahfuz Omar of Parti Amanah Negara, and BN candidate Said Ali Said Rastan.
The other BN heavyweights defending their parliamentary seats are Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid in Padang Terap, Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum (Kubang Pasu), Minister in the Prime Minister Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom (Jerai) and Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim (Baling).
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah is facing a three-cornered fight in defending Suka Menanti (formerly known as Bakar Bata), the seat that he had been serving since 1995, when it was known as Alor Merah.
In GE13, Kedah BN won 10 parliamentary and 21 state seats, but it was reduced to 20 after Mukhriz was expelled from Umno.