ALOR SETAR, April 18 – Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak(Pic) was among PAS and PKR candidates named to contest 15 parliamentary seats and 34 state seats in Kedah.
Azizan will defend Sungai Limau state seat for the fifth term and will face his cousin, Mohd Fadzillah Mohd Ali, who was yesterday named the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate. The announcement by Azizan was made without the presence of ally the DAP which was allocated only two assembly seats namely Derga and Kota Darul Aman.
The DAP wanted to contest two parliamentary seats and six state seats compared to only one, Kota Darul Aman seat in 2008. The party expressed willingness to contest against fellow opposition pact allies if not given additional seats.
The announcement made in Simpang Empat see PAS contesting 24 state seats and PKR ten seats. PAS will contest eight parliamentary seats and PKR seven parliamentary seats.
PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu who lost in two successive general elections will contest Pendang parliamentary seat. PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar will defend Pokok Sena parliamentary seat and face Political Secretary to the Prime Minister, Datuk Shahlan Ismail from BN.
State Exco members who will defend their seats were Datuk Phahrolrazi Zawawi (Pengkalan Kundor), Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah (Anak Bukit), Datuk Mohd Taulan Mat Rasul (Tokai) and Siti Aishah Ghazali (Merbau Pulas). State Exco member Abdul Ghani Ahmad will contest Ayer Hitam state and will face Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir.
State Exco member Datuk Dr Ismail Salleh will move from Alor Mengkudu state seat to contest Jerlun parliamentary seat.
Another state exco member, Datuk Dr Hamdan Mohamed Khalib, who is the incumbent for Tanjong Dawai state seat was dropped. Kedah PKR election director Izham Ramli announced that all three state exco members, Datuk S. Manikumar, Lim Soo Nee and Tan Joon Long @ Tan Chow Kang were dropped.
BERNAMA
