MUAR: Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) deputy president Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub is being challenged by three other candidates in the Simpang Jeram seat in the Johor state election on March 12.

Salahuddin, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate who is also Pulai Member of Parliament, is facing Datuk Lokman Md Don of Barisan Nasional (BN), Mahaizal Mahmor of Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) and Zarul@Mohamad Zahrul Salleh of Perikatan Nasional (PN).

The names of the candidates were announced by returning officer Mohd Nurulamin Abd Rahman at the nomination centre at Dewan Ibnu Battuta of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Haji Mohd Yassin here at 10.22 am today.

The nomination process went smoothly according to the standard operating procedure (SOP), including physical distancing and wearing of face masks, to curb the spread of COVID-19.

In the 14th general election, Salahuddin, a former Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister, won the Simpang Jeram seat with a 7,687-vote majority, beating Mohd Radzi Amin of BN and two other candidates.

According to Election Commission data updated as at Jan 21 this year, the Simpang Jeram constituency has 40,014 voters.

-- BERNAMA