KLUANG: Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has underscored Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah as the party’s ideal candidate for the upcoming Mahkota state by-election in Johor.
Ahmad Zahid described Syed Hussien, 40, the UMNO Youth Chief for the Kluang Division, as a candidate well-suited to engage with diverse segments of the community.
He noted that Syed Hussien’s background provides him with a distinct advantage in connecting with voters.
“Not only is he young, but he also has an education from a national-type Chinese primary school. He has a deep understanding of Chinese culture, language, and mindset... Mahkota has almost 35 percent Chinese voters.
“He is also a Youth leader with strong support from young voters. More than 51 percent of Mahkota’s voters are young people, and he also engages with those over 40 years old,“ he told reporters after the nomination process for the by-election at Dewan Tunku Ibrahim Ismail here today.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also UMNO president, said Syed Hussien has the backing of all party wings, including Wanita, Youth and Puteri, to continue the success and excellence demonstrated by the previous UMNO incumbent (of the seat).
Regarding challenges, the Deputy Prime Minister said that one of BN’s tasks in Mahkota is to ensure voters fulfill their responsibilities on polling day, which is set for Sept 28.
This, he said, is because voters there have faced several elections in quick succession, including the General Election and State Election, both in 2022, thus requiring the party machinery to work hard to engage voters to ensure they turn out to vote.
“We find that about 50 percent of Mahkota voters live outside the area, not only in Mengkibol but also outside Kluang, with many working in Singapore.
“However, we are negotiating with coalition parties in the Unity Government to find ways to encourage them to vote in this by-election,“ he said.
The Mahkota and Mengkibol state seats fall under the Kluang parliamentary constituency. Election Commission data shows that there are 66,318 registered voters in Mahkota.
Ahmad Zahid also expressed gratitude to Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, BN’s director of the Mahkota by-election campaign, for starting early preparations to ensure the BN candidate’s victory.
The Mahkota by-election sees a straight fight between BN’s Syed Hussien and Perikatan Nasional’s Mohamad Haizan Jaafar.
This by-election is being held following the death of its incumbent, Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain, 63, on Aug 2
In the 2022 Johor State Election, Sharifah Azizah, who was also former Johor UMNO Wanita chief, won by a majority of 5,166 votes, defeating Pakatan Harapan’s Muhammad Taqiuddin Cheman, Perikatan Nasional’s Mohamad Nor Lingan, and Warisan’s Mohamed Noor Suleiman.
