BAGAN SERAI: Zul Helmi Ghazali, the Barisan Nasional candidate for the Bagan Serai parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election (GE15), says voters have mistaken him for being related to incumbent Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali as they share the same patronymic.
"All the voters I've met so far have asked me the same question. They assume I'm related to the previous Barisan MP who jumped to Bersatu after GE14," he said on Monday (Nov 14).
Zul Helmi said it has become a major challenge due to some voters' perception of Noor Azmi.
In 2018, Noor Azmi won the Bagan Serai seat under Barisan's ticket. Later, he left the party to join Bersatu.
"They were also asking why the party was fielding someone related to him. Truthfully speaking, I am in no way related to him. Coincidentally, his father's name is the same as my late father's," he said.
One such disgruntled voter was retiree Kharuddin Mohd, 58.
"I don't want to hear Noor Azmi's name. I was disappointed and hurt when he 'jumped' as I had campaigned for him and even asked my friends to support him," he said.
A store owner who only wanted to be known as Ika said she was not affected when Noor Azmi left Barisan for Bersatu.
"However, I had hoped that he would come down to see us and ask how we're doing. But it seems that he rarely comes to town," she said.
Zul Helmi, who is also a first-time candidate, said he aims to help locals get subsidies to overcome the high cost of living and inspire youths in Bagan Serai to look towards esports as a career.
"I'm offering myself as a local boy. I was born in Gunung Semanggol. I hope the voters will consider a local professional like me," he said, adding that he has a background as a researcher with the Malaysian Nuclear Agency.
Noor Azmi is not returning to defend his seat under the Perikatan Nasional coalition. Instead, PAS vice-president Datuk Idris Ahmad has been fielded to contest in Bagan Serai for PN.
Two other candidates are also vying for the seat - Ahmad Luqman Ahmad Yahya (Pejuang) and Siti Aishah Shaik Ismail (Pakatan Harapan).
