JOHOR BARU: Former Johor assembly speaker Suhaizan Kaiat (pic) has not been having it easy as an election candidate, with the Amanah man having to make way at the last minute not just once, but three times, for someone else from another party.
His latest “sacrifice” was the Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat, which is given to the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda).
Suhaizan, who is Johor Amanah vice chairman, was initially supposed to contest in Tanjung Piai in the 15th General Election.
But then Muda “bulldozed” its way by announcing Muda co-founder lawyer Lim Wei Jiet for the seat, claimed Amanah leaders.
It is believed that Muda negotiated the Tanjung Piai seat with PKR and DAP and not Amanah.
In the March state election, Suhaizan was Amanah’s candidate for the Puteri Wangsa seat, which was later given to Muda deputy president Amira Aisya Abd Aziz.
Suhaizan was then moved to the Pulai Sebatang state seat, but he lost the battle there. Amira Aisya won in Puteri Wangsa.
During GE14, Suhaizan was slated as the Amanah candidate for Puteri Wangsa, but at the last minute, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin wanted Bersatu to contest the seat.
As for GE15, sources said that Amanah was supposed to contest in six parliamentary seats, but now they are going for five – Pulai, Parit Sulong, Sri Gading, Kota Tinggi and Pengerang.
National Pakatan Harapan leaders have tried to contain the “local frustration” by offering the Pontian parliamentary seat to Amanah.
However, this overture had been rejected. An appeal letter has been sent to the Pakatan presidential council requesting for Amanah to contest in Tanjung Piai and Muda in Pontian instead.
And if this does not materialise, sources say that the Pontian seat might be contested by DAP.
Suhaizan, when contacted, said that this was the third time that his candidacy had been changed at the last minute.
Asked whether he was upset by the latest change, he said that he was not disappointed about not being fielded as a candidate, but because his party lost a seat in Johor.
“I am a party man, and I will toe the party line, but it is sad that Amanah lost one of the seats, as we were supposed to go for six seats in Johor,” he said, adding that he would do his part to help campaign for other Pakatan candidates.
Johor Amanah elections director Dzulkefly Ahmad, when contacted, affirmed that Suhaizan was the candidate for both the parliamentary seat and the state seat this year.
“Yes, Suhaizan is our candidate in those two seats: Tanjung Piai parliamentary and Puteri Wangsa state seat,” he said.
For now, with nomination day just a few days away, he said that Amanah was hoping for a “miracle” that the party could contest in Tanjung Piai.
Pakatan candidates in Johor will be gathering at an event here today.
Johor has a total of 26 parliamentary seats.
