IPOH, March 29 – Perak Barisan Nasional (BN) has finalised the list of candidates to contest for seats in the state during the general election. Its chairman, Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir(Pic) however said the final decision will be made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who is also BN chairman .
“Perak candidates will be a combination of old and new faces as we only want the best candidates. Elected representatives who have served well will be retained,” he told reporters after breakfast with bureau chiefs of media organisations in Perak here today.
Zambry who is also Perak Menteri Besar said the candidates are locals and have gone through the vetting process.
“Some may be retained while some may be dropped. Some are dropped not because of vetting but the popularity factor.
He said candidates contesting state seats need not be popular at state or national level but have to be popular in the constituencies concerned. On dissatisfaction by those dropped as candidates, he said it was normal and would be solved via discussion. Asked about the possibility of a split in the party following the decision to drop some candidates, Zambry said it could happen.
“We have to be practical. The party can only put up one candidate to contest for a seat.”
On the distribution of seats among BN component parties, he said it was based on the formula to ensure victory for the party.
“We may have to make some changes to achieve victory,” he said, adding that the distribution of seats would only be announced after it was agreed by Najib.
BERNAMA
