Top political leaders in Negeri Sembilan face fierce contests in the state election, with no easy wins expected for incumbents.
SEREMBAN: Several top guns from major political parties are being challenged in the 16th Negeri Sembilan state election, with none given an easy passage to win or retain their seats.
Among those facing challengers are Negeri Sembilan Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman and caretaker Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke, Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Negeri Sembilan UMNO chief Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias.
Aminuddin, who is also PKR vice-president, is in a three-cornered fight for the Linggi seat against incumbent Datuk Mohd Faizal Ramli (BN) and Bersatu candidate Datuk Zamri Md Said.
In Chennah, a stronghold held by DAP since 2013, Loke, who is also Transport Minister, will face Negeri Sembilan MCA Youth chief Siow Kong Choon, fielded by BN.
In Rantau, 70-year-old Mohamad, who is the Foreign Minister and UMNO deputy president, is also being challenged in a straight fight against PH candidate Dr Azizul Hakim Mahdi, who is half his age. Mohamad, better known as Tok Mat among the locals, is synonymous with Rantau as he has been representing the state constituency since 2004.
Attention is also focused on the three-cornered contest in Pertang involving incumbent Jalaluddin of BN, Mohd Umry Abdul Khois of PH and Mohd Faizal Fadli Mohd Idrus of Bersatu. Jalaluddin has held the seat since 2013.
Another closely watched contest is the five-cornered battle in Nilai, where DAP national deputy chairman and incumbent J. Arul Kumar, fielded by PH, will face four contenders, namely Datuk Lai Chien Kong (BN), Datuk V. Saravana Kumar (Bersatu), Zamani Ibrahim (Berjasa) and independent candidate Omar Mohd Isa.
Sri Tanjung will also see a five-cornered clash, with PH incumbent Dr G. Rajassekaran facing A. Achutan (BN), two independent candidates, Saravanan Arumugam and Islah Wahyudi Zainudin, and a newcomer from Bersatu, Leevineshwaraan Murugan, who is only 23, and the youngest candidate in the state election.
Following the conclusion of nominations at eight nomination centres at 10 am today, the 14-day campaign period officially kicked off and will continue until 11.59 pm on July 31.
A total of 103 candidates are vying for the 36 state seats in this election, with PH is fielding the highest number of candidates at 36, followed by BN with 25, Bersatu with 24 and Perikatan Nasional (PN) with 11.
The election is also featuring candidates from Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia (Berjasa), Parti Orang Asli Malaysia (ASLI) and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), each fielding one candidate, as well as four independent candidates.
The Election Commission has set July 28 for early voting and Aug 1 for polling.
