KUALA TERENGGANU: The announcement of Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates for the 15th General Election (GE15) last night saw former Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said also listed as a candidate for a Parliamentary seat which was expected to bring changes to the state's political landscape.

Ahmad Said who is also the state BN chairman had earlier said that he had no intention of contesting at the parliamentary level because he still hopes to be appointed to lead the state if BN recaptured Terengganu.

The Kijal assemblyman was the Menteri Besar of Terengganu from 2008 to 2014.

"Such things (state leaders contesting for a Parliamentary seat) is not unusual. What we see is that the parties want to put big names (for Parliament seats), who already have great influence, in order to create a strong wave of support for them.

"They want to put as many 'giants' in Parliamentary seats in this election," Political Analyst Associate Professor Dr Mohd Yusri Ibrahim who is also the ILHAM Centre head of research told Bernama.


According to Mohd Yusri, it is not unusual to see individuals who have held positions in the state government, such as the exco rank, be chosen as candidates for parliamentary seats, including the menteri besar.

"For example, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari was named as a candidate for the Gombak Parliamentary seat... this could happen in Terengganu as well. Some may say it's just a rumour or the person concerned may deny but as long as the nomination day is not over, we cannot know for sure," he said.

Former Marang Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Bakar also did not rule out the possibility that more state assemblymen be promoted to the federal level, including the post of menteri besar.

"From my observation, if there is a change at the UMNO level, it will usually be followed by PAS, because they want a level playing field. For example, if BN were to field Ahmad Said, it is not impossible to see Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar contesting for a Parliamentary seat.

"Perhaps Samsuri is no longer needed in the state leadership. I see this change as quite good because it can build a new leadership at the state level, regardless of whether PAS or UMNO dominate politics at the federal level," he said.


Mohd Yusri added that the emergence of new faces at the federal level also signals that the state leadership from now on might also be supported by new figures and if BN succeeds in controlling Terengganu, the position of menteri besar will not necessarily be filled by the chairman of the state UMNO Liaison.

"The new candidates will replace the old ones...I see this landscape change as very healthy for the political, economical and social development of the state.

"Every reform will have a big impact and it is very good for the future," said Abdul Rahman who was once nicknamed the 'Giant Killer' when he twice defeated Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang in the stronghold of the PAS President, namely in the 1986 general election and 2004.

In Terengganu, seven names of BN candidates for the Parliamentary seat were announced last night except for the Kuala Nerus seat which has yet to be decided, while for Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidates the full list will be announced tomorrow night.

-- BERNAMA