TANJONG KARANG: Nurul Syazwani Noh (pic) was only seven when her father, the formidable Tan Sri Noh Omar, was first elected MP for this constituency.
“I always accompanied my father on his rounds to visit the people, attend meetings and events. I really enjoyed and liked these activities very much,” said the 35 year old, who is the only child of Noh and Prof Puan Sri Dr Aishah Salleh.
Nurul Syazwani left Umno soon after her father was sacked from the party earlier this year.
She joined Bersatu and is now representing Perikatan Nasional in Permatang, a state seat under Tanjong Karang parliamentary constituency.
She is taking on Pakatan Harapan’s Mohd Yahya Mat Sahri from PKR in a straight fight.
She said that she would serve her constituents full time if she wins and her campaign tagline is “Restart Permatang”.
“Perikatan leaders are experienced politicians. When we win, all we have to do is push the restart button and swing into work,” she said, adding that her mother is helping to care for her four children, aged between two and 13.
As she spoke of her aspirations for the constituency, the easy-going Nurul Syazwani said each community has its own focus and problems.
“The Malay farmers need guidance on strategies to market their products and become resilient. They also need help with regards to education for their children,” she said when met recently.
Nurul Syazwani, who runs a legal practice with her husband Hisyam Hedzril Nor Hashim, said the constituency also consists of Indians working at the nearby plantations.
“Their main problem is housing (because) when they retire, they have to vacate the quarters provided by the estate management,” she said, adding that her father had managed to negotiate and get land to build houses for former plantation workers, but the project was stalled when the state government changed hands from Barisan Nasional to Pakatan.Noh, a six-term Tanjong Karang MP, had held deputy and ministerial posts in various ministries including Internal Security, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, as well as Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government.
Nurul Syazwani said her biggest challenge was measuring up to her father.
“Carrying the Noh Omar name is a very a big responsibility. It is not a ticket to get a shortcut into politics. I now have to work very hard and prove that I can be like my father but, of course, I want to perform better and I have the spirit and conviction to do it,” she added.With regards to Noh’s sacking from Umno, Nurul Syazwani said it was a sad episode but there was no point in dwelling on the past.
“We have to move forward without looking back, and that is what I am doing now,” she added.
On the saga, Nurul Syazwan said that she had been issued with a show-cause letter due to something she posted on social media which was deemed disrespectful to the party leadership.
“I had planned to go before the Umno disciplinary board and explain myself, but three days before the hearing, my father was sacked. So, I told myself that there was no point sticking around anymore,” she said.
The Permatang seat was won by PKR’s Rozana Zainal Abidin in the 2018 general election.
She defeated Sulaiman Abdul Razak (Barisan) and Muhammad Jafarudin Sheik Daud (PAS) with a slim majority of 1,158.
