Kuala Lumpur: Both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) unveiled some candidates for the 15th General Election, Tuesday night.Umno President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi would be defending the Bagan Datuk seat and Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in Bera. Ahmad Zahid confirmed that several long-serving MPs would not be contesting in GE15.
Among them are Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, Sri Tan Annuar Musa (Ketereh), Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique (Kota Tinggi), Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba (Tenggara) and Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin (Padang Besar).
Veteran Umno leader Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, the three-term Pasir Salak MP who was recently suspended by the party, was also dropped.
Other notable candidates to be fielded by Barisan are Umno vice president Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin in Kota Tinggi and former Johor mentri besar Datuk Seri Hasni Mohamad in Simpang Renggam.
Former Perak mentri besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir will contest Lumut, while Umno supreme council members Isham Jalil and Datuk Dr Fathul Bari Mat Jaya will be fielded in Shah Alam and Kangar respectively.
Barisan deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan will be standing in Rembau, Negri Sembilan.
It was confirmed that Khairy Jamaluddin would be contesting in Sungai Buloh and Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz in Kuala Selangor.
Other caretaker ministers who will defend their seats are Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein (Sembrong), Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (Padang Terap), Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad (Parit Sulong) and Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican (Kepala Batas).
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong will be defending Ayer Hitam, former MCA president Tan Sri Liow Tiong Lai will make a comeback and contest in Bentong and MCA secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon will contest in Raub.
Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng will also defend his Tanjung Piai seat and deputy president Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon will contest again in Tanjung Malim, amongst others.
For MIC, party president and Barisan vice chairman Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran will be contesting in Sungai Siput and MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M Saravanan will be defending Tapah.
Meanwhile, PN would contest 169 parliamentary seats nationwide and 116 seats for the Perak, Pahang and Perlis state polls, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The Perikatan chairman said PAS would be contesting 64 parliamentary seats, Gerakan 20 parliamentary seats, Bersatu 74 parliamentary seats and other component parties would contest a total of 11 seats.
Also announced was Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin to contest the Larut parliamentary seat and Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu to defend Tambun.
PAS vice-president Datuk Idris Ahmad will contesting the Bagan Serai parliamentary seat.
Bersatu’s Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah will be defending the Indera Mahkota seat, while incumbent Gombak MP Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali would also be defending his seat in GE15.
Muhyiddin also announced that incumbent Titiwangsa MP Datuk Seri Rina Harun would be contesting in Sepang instead while Datuk Mohd Radzi Jidin will contesting in Putrajaya.
Muhyiddin would be defending the Pagoh parliamentary seat in GE15 and Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin was named as Perikatan’s candidate for the Masjid Tanah seat.
Bersatu information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan was also announced as the candidate for the Tasek Gelugor seat in Penang.
Incumbent Bandar Tun Razak MP Datuk Kamarudin Jaafar will also be defending his seat.
