PETALING JAYA APRIL 16- Deputy International Trade and Industries Minister Mukhriz Mahathir would be contesting for the Ayer Hitam state seat in Kedah for the 13th general election.
The move may fuel speculation that the son of the former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad would be made the new menteri besar of Kedah if Barisan Nasional retakes the state. Jerlun Umno deputy division chief Othman Aziz is now slated to contest for the Jerlun parliamentary seat, vacated by Mukhriz.
Former Kedah menteri besar Mahdzir Khalid would be moved to the federal level and is slated to contest the Padang Terap parliamentary seat. Two big names are also named to contest for two parliamentary seats in Kedah, namely Padang Serai and Jerai.
Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Heng Seai Kie (MCA) is slated to take on PKR vice-president N Surendran for the Padang Serai seat. As for Jerai, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom is slated to contest for the seat.
Two veterans, Housing and Local Government Minister Chor Chee Heung and former deputy home minister Johari Baharum would be defending their Alor Setar and Kubang Pasu parliamentary seats respectively. Making another attempt to win the Kulim-Bandar Bahru parliamentary seat would be the area Umno division chief Abdul Azeez Syeikh Fadzir.
This time around, Abdul Azeez is slated to take on PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution, who is considered an opposition heavyweight. Abdul Azeez contested for the seat in 2008 but lost to then PKR candidate, Zulkifli Noordin, with a majority of over 5,000 votes. Later, Zulkifli was sacked from PKR and became the party’s harshest critic. He is now slated to contest for the Shah Alam parliamentary seat, under the BN banner.
Below is the BN candidates list for Kedah:
Parliament
Kubang Pasu: Johari Baharom
Kuala Kedah: Dr Zaki Zamani Abdul Rashid
Kulim Bandar: Bahru Abdul Aziz Sheikh Fadzir
Pokok Sena: Sahlan Ismail
Alor Setar: Chor Chee Heung (MCA)
Langkawi: Nawawi Ahmad
Padang Terap: Mahdzir Khalid
Jerlun: Othman Aziz
Pendang: Othman Abdul
Jerai: Jamil Khir Baharom
Sik: Mansor Abdul Rahman
Merbok: Prof Ismail Daud
Sungai Petani : Shamsul Anuar Ismail
Baling : Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim
Padang Serai : Heng Seai Kie (MCA)
State seats
Ayer Hitam : Mukhriz Mahathir
Ayer Hangat : Mohd Rawi Abdul Hamid
Kuah : Nor Saidi Nayan
Kota Siputeh: Abu Hassan Sharif
Kuala Nerang: Kama Noriah Ibrahim
Pedu: Badrol Hisham Hashim
Bukit Lada: Ahmad Lebai Sudin
Bukit Pinang Mokhtar Mohd Nor
Derga: Dr Cheah Soon Hai (Gerakan)
Bakar Bata: Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah
Kota Darulaman: Loh Gim Hooi (MCA)
Alor Mengkudu: Sharifah Maznah Syed Kassim Barakbah
Anak Bukit: Hashim Yahya
Kubang Rotan: Latt Shariman
Pengakalan Kundor Noor Hasita Mat Isa
Tokai: Suraya Yaacob
Sungai Limau: Fadzilah Mohd Ali
Guar Chempedak: Dr Ku Abdul Rahman Ismail
Gurun: Dr Leong Yong Kong (MCA)
Belantek: Mohd Tajudin Abdullah
Jeneri: Mahadzir Abdul Hamid,
Bukit Selambau: ML Maran (MIC)
Tanjong Dawai: Tajul Urus Mat Zain
Pandati Merdeka: Ali Yahya
Bakar Arang: Dr Lee Yean Wang (MCA)
Sidam: Bee Shiong Heng (Gerakan)
Bayu: Azmi Che Husain
Kupang: Ishak Mat
Kuala Ketil: Mohd Khairul Abdullah
Merbau Pulas: Marlia Abdul Latif
Lunas: S Ananthan (MIC)
Kulim: Chua Thiong Ghee (MCA)
Bandar Baharu: Nor Sabrina Mohd Noor
Bukit Kayu Hitam: Ahmad Zaini Jaafar
Jitra: Aminuddin Omar
