Nowadays,
there is a tendency to put local guy to stand for elections. Gone were the days, when a public figure from somewhere else had to be dragged down to improve winning chances. PAS has been doing that for decades, so must so that political campaign were weird in Kelantan. A kedahan in the form of Mat Sabu cant speak decent kelantan accent!
2. Now it seems every political party will put their bet on the locals, someone people can relate to, and understand the wishes and plights. Welcome on board Kamarulai!! . Just cross your fingers. Is it really 7th of April?
Local boy Kamarulai
leads Umno list
for Bukit Gantang
The top name in the Umno candidate list for the Bukit Gantang by-election is Kamarulai Suleiman, a likeable local figure who is also the deputy chief of the Bukit Gantang Umno division.
Kamarulai was the former head of research and publications at the Kolej Islam Darul Ridhuan.
Umno has stressed that its candidate must have local roots and be free of political baggage.
In the March elections, Umno treasurer and Bukit Bintang Umno chief Datuk Seri Azim Zabidi lost in a three-cornered contest because he was seen as a parachute candidate brought in from Kuala Lumpur.
Another name on the Umno list is Kamilia Ibrahim, an established lawyer and Kuala Kangsar Wanita Umno chief.
Kamilia’s grassroots base is in Perak although she stays in Kuala Lumpur. She has an extensive family network in Bulit Gantang. She is also candidate for the post of deputy Wanita Umno chief in the Umno polls this March.
Yesterday, Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said “more than one candidate” had been pinpointed but declined to reveal how many.
“We will submit the names to the Barisan leadership to be announced later,” he told reporters in Ipoh after a closed-door meeting with branch leaders under the Bukit Gantang Umno division.
Dr Zambry noted that during the meeting, branch leaders had expressed the preference that the Barisan candidate be local and not “imported” from elsewhere.
On the other side of the political divide, Idris Ahmad, a young ulama in PAS politics, has emerged alongside former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin as possible candidates.
Although there is strong support for Nizar as the candidate, Idris is said to be a credible alternative to defend the parliamentary constituency left vacant by the death of Roslan Shaharum on Monday.
Idris is a member of the PAS central committee and former deputy head of the party’s Youth wing.
He is born and bred in Changkat Jering, one of the state seats in Bukit Gantang. He was also among the top 10 in the contest for the 18-member central committee.
Apart from Idris and Nizar, PAS state commissioner Datuk Ahmad Awang, and deputy commissioner and lawyer Asmuni Awi are also being considered as possible candidates.
Local boy Kamarulai leads Umno list for Bukit Gantang pollsMalaysia Star, Malaysia -
beritadarigunung
