PETALING JAYA: The political temperature is set to rise in the Hulu Kelang, Gombak Setia and Sungai Tua seats on nomination day as heavyweights and friends turned rivals are set to file their candidacy at the same centre.
Prime Minister and Pakatan Harapan chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is also set to visit the nomination centre on Saturday(July 29) morning to show support to the unity pact’s candidates who will be entering the fray.
Caretaker Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari will be running for the Sungai Tua seat while his former mentor and predecessor Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali will be the Perikatan Nasional candidate for Hulu Kelang.
Amirudin is Pakatan's choice for the Mentri Besar post for the second term, whereas Azmin, who is the Selangor Perikatan chairman, is speculated as a potential candidate for the top job in the state, if the coalition comes to power.
Amirudin will be contesting against Perikatan’s Muhammad Hanif Jamaluddin in Sungai Tua.
In Hulu Kelang, Azmin will be facing Amirudin’s political secretary Juwairiya Zulkifli.
Meanwhile, Azmin’s longtime loyalist Hilman Idham will defend the Gombak Setia seat.
His opponent would be Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin, who is also the Selangor Umno chairman.
Hilman won the Gombak Setia seat under the PKR ticket in the 14th General Election (GE14).
He later defected to Bersatu along with Azmin, who was formerly PKR’s deputy president.
Perikatan chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is expected to accompany the coalition's candidates to the nomination centre at 8am.
All candidates for the Hulu Kelang, Gombak Setia and Sungai Tua seats will file their nominations at SMK Sungai Pusu in Gombak.
The 14-day campaigning period for the state polls in Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah begins from Saturday.
Polling will be on Aug 12.
