BATU PAHAT: Simpang Renggam MP Dr Maszlee Malik was today named PKR's candidate for the Layang-Layang seat in the Johor state election on March 12.

His candidacy was announced by PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at a ceremony to announce the party's candidates for the Central Zone.

Anwar said the candidates for the Rengit, Tenggaroh, Benut, Kukup and Semarang seats, who were supposed to have been announced this evening, will be named very soon.

Meanwhile, Maszlee, the former Education Minister, said he was touched over his selection and the trust accorded by the party leadership.

"I will try to fulfill this responsibility and trust given with the help of the election machinery and supporters in the Simpang Renggam parliamentary constituency as Layang-Layang comes under that constituency," he told reporters after the announcement today.

Mazlee, who only joined PKR on Nov 27 last year, is the sixth PKR candidate for the Johor election to be announced by Anwar today.

In the 14th general election (GE14), Layang-Layang was won by Barisan Nasional's Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi who defeated MS Murugan from Pakatan Harapan with a 364-vote majority.


Meanwhile, at an event held at a hotel here tonight, Anwar also announced seven more candidates who will be contesting in the North Zone, involving the state seats of Semerah, Bukit Naning, Gambir, Sri Medan, Pemanis, Buloh Kasap and Sungai Balang.

The party will be banking on former assemblymen Mohd Khuzzan Abu Bakar and Md Ysahruddin Kusni to defend their seats in Semerah and Bukit Naning respectively.

Two newcomers will vie for the Pemanis and Gambir seats, namely Johor Keadilan State Leadership Council (MPN) vice-chairman Yoong Thau and Johor PKR MPN secretary Naim Jusri respectively.

Pagoh branch chief C. Subramani, meanwhile, will contest in Buloh Kasap; Parit Sulong branch deputy chief Azmi Masrami in Sri Medan and Muar branch deputy chief Abdullah Sahid in Sungai Balang.

The Election Commission (EC) has fixed nomination on Feb 26, polling on March 12 and early voting on March 8.

-- BERNAMA