Gopalakrishnan, Napsiah among first five candidates announced by PKR for Johor polls

Gopalakrishnan will be defending the Tiram seat while Napsiah, who is making her debut in the state polls, will be fielded in Kempas.

The other three candidates are Dr Zamil Najwah Arbain, who contested in Tanjung Surat in the 14th general election (GE14) but will now move to Larkin, and new faces Chiong Sen Sern (Bukit Batu) and Fakhruddin Moslim (Pasir Raja).

Their candidacies were announced by PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at an event here which was also attended by Johor PKR chairman Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, who is the Ledang Member of Parliament (MP).

Anwar, who is also Port Dickson MP, will launch the Pakatan Harapan election machinery together with Amanah, DAP and Muda and announce candidates for 15 more seats, at events in Rengit and Batu Pahat late today.

In GE14, PKR contested 12 seats and won five -- Pemanis, Semerah, Tiram, Bukit Naning and Bukit Batu.

However, PKR's representation in the Johor State Legislative Assembly increased to seven after Pemanis state assemblyman Dr Chong Fat Full left the party in March 2020 but three Amanah representatives - Muhamad Said Jonit (Mahkota), Khairuddin A Rahim (Senggarang) and Dr Faizul Amri Adnan (Serom) - joined PKR in February 2021.

The Election Commission has set polling for March 12, while nomination day is Feb 26 and early voting on March 8.

Meanwhile, Anwar said the process of selecting PKR candidates for the polls was complicated because it involved negotiations with fellow component parties of PH and partners in the opposition.

Napsiah, 42, said she would be raising issues on the hike in prices of goods and the plight of petty traders during her campaign.

Johor PKR secretary Chiong, 32, said he would bring the voice of young people to the state assembly if elected.

"I will regularly raise issues affecting young people especially concerning jobs. In the current COVID-19 pandemic, everyone is suffering; I will continue to focus on tourism development especially in Bukit Batu," he added.

Describing his nomination as a challenge, Fakharuddin Moslim, 34, also pledged to speak up for young people, especially Felda children, on economic issues.