GE15: Ismail Sabri, Zahid Hamidi to defend respective parliamentary seats

KUALA LUMPUR: UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be defending the Bagan Datuk and Bera parliamentary seats respectively for Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 15th general election (GE15).

At a ceremony to announce BN's parliamentary candidates here tonight, Ahmad Zahid, who is BN chairman, said UMNO deputy president and BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan would be contesting in Rembau in Negeri Sembilan.

He also announced two other candidates from among the UMNO "Top 5" - vice-president Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, who will be defending the Padang Terap seat in Kedah, and vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, who will be standing in Kota Tinggi, Johor. The Top 5 refers to the president, deputy president and three vice-presidents.

Ahmad Zahid said BN secretary-general and UMNO supreme council member Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir had been nominated to contest the Lumut parliamentary seat.

He also announced that MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong would be defending the Ayer Hitam seat, MIC president Tan Sri SA Vickneswaran wound be contesting in Sungai Siput and UMNO Youth chief Datuk Seri Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki would be standing in Gerik.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, the incumbent Rembau MP, would be standing in Sungai Buloh, Selangor.

Kelantan Puteri UMNO chief Marzuani Adila Ariffin has been nominated to contest in Ketereh, Kelantan, replacing incumbent MP Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

Ahmad Zahid unveiled 160 candidates who will be contesting in Peninsular Malaysia, while the candidates for the 25 parliamentary seats in Sabah will be announced tomorrow.

Puteri UMNO chief Datuk Zahida Zarik Khan will be contesting in Padang Besar, replacing incumbent Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin, while Wanita UMNO head Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad will be defending the Parit Sulong seat.

Ahmad Zahid said Datuk Seri Razali Ibrahim, who contested the Muar parliamentary seat in GE14, would be moving to contest in Pagoh while Muar UMNO Youth chief Mohd Helmy Abdul Latif is the BN candidate in Muar.

Several candidates who lost in GE14 are also making a comeback in constituencies they once represented, including former MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai (Bentong), Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom (Jerai) and Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani (Titiwangsa).

Former deputy education minister Datuk P. Kamalanathan, who won the Hulu Selangor seat in GE13, will be contesting in Port Dickson this time around.

Other incumbents who will be defending their seats include Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (Pengerang), Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor (Cameron Highlands), Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican (Kepala Batas), Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (Putrajaya), Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan (Pontian) and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein (Sembrong).

UMNO veteran Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah will also be defending the Gua Musang seat.

Polling has been set for Nov 19, with nomination day on Nov 5 and early voting on Nov 15.

-- BERNAMA