THE Gombak parliamentary seat is set to see a fierce battle in the 15th General Election (GE15) with incumbent Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali likely to face Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Gombak Umno division chief Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omar Din.
Azmin, formerly from PKR, is expected to defend the seat for Bersatu in GE15 under Perikatan Nasional while Amirudin may be tasked to wrest the seat for PKR under Pakatan Harapan.
Checks with political parties revealed that discussions with respective state leaderships had concluded and the proposed candidates were awaiting confirmation from their respective parties and coalitions.
Azmin is tipped to defend the Gombak seat under the Perikatan-Bersatu banner.
Gombak MIC division chief K. Gobiraj Kathan, who is also Sungai Tua People’s Service Centre chief, said Gombak constituency had 207,138 voters with Malays making up 158,071 (76.3%), Chinese 22,339 (10.8%), Indians 22,750 (11%) and others 3,978 (1.9%).
Gobiraj said Megat Zulkarnain, being a local from Kampung Gombak and the son of the late Tan Sri Omardin Mauju, founder of Silat Lincah Martial Arts Association, was touted as a potential candidate from Barisan Nasional to contest in Gombak.
Megat Zulkarnain said housing was the main issue faced by the Gombak electorate.
“Housing, namely high-rise apartments, must be affordable to people in the lower-income group.
“We see apartments marketed as affordable being sold at RM250,000 per unit but the B40 group struggle to purchase such units as these homes are beyond their reach.
“Those aged between 30 and 49 feel RM250,000 is steep for them.
“I have spoken to food delivery riders and factory workers who want affordable apartments to be sold at a much more reasonable price,” said Megat Zulkarnain.
“There is land in Gombak but we need to review unnecessary charges in buying a home to make the apartments affordable for the lower-income group,” he said.
Amirudin is expected to be fielded by Pakatan to wrest the Gombak parliamentary seat.
Sungai Tua Pakatan election machinery director Amir Fazlee Khalid, when asked who would be the likely candidate from Pakatan for Gombak, said: “We are made to understand it is Amirudin.
“Our machinery is all good and ready. Our grassroots have engaged the younger voters aged between 18 and 29 as well as those between 30 and 49.
“In Gombak, there are 56,217 voters aged between 18 and 29 while there are 84,934 voters among those aged between 30 and 49.
“We have been engaging mostly with people from these age groups,” he added.
Meanwhile, Amirudin who is also Sungai Tua assemblyman, told journalists to wait for the official announcement when asked if he would be fielded in Gombak.
Azmin will look to defend the seat under Bersatu for GE15. The Minister for International Trade and Industry, won the Gombak parliamentary seat on a PKR ticket in GE14 with a majority of 48,721 votes in a three-cornered fight where he beat Barisan’s Datuk Abdul Rahim Kamarudin and Khairil Nizam Khirudin from PAS.
Megat Zulkarnain is the likely candidate from Umno to contest in Gombak.
