Continuing legacy: Fatihah with the late Salahuddin on the campaign trail. — Pic taken from social media
PETALING JAYA: With the stakes high for the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state by-elections, Amanah has already met to discuss potential candidates.
“We had a preliminary meeting recently on the names proposed by the Johor Amanah leadership. We have yet to look at the list to decide on the best possible candidates,” said party vice-president Datuk Seri Mujahid Yusof Rawa.
Asked if the party would field a single candidate for both contests, he said this would only be done after careful consideration.
The late Amanah deputy president Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub held both seats.
“Johor Amanah has proposed a few names to the party leadership and we will bring it to the Pakatan Harapan central committee for endorsement,” he said.
He said Pakatan would be working with Barisan Nasional during the polls to ensure the seats remained with the unity coalition.
The two seats fell vacant following the death of Salahuddin, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister. He was the man behind the Rahmah aid programmes aimed at easing the cost of living, particularly for B40 households.
Earlier this month, Pakatan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Amanah would defend the two seats.
Several names have since been bandied about, including former Johor assembly Speaker Suhaizan Kaiat, who served as Salahuddin’s political secretary.
Suhaizan is said to be the Pulai Amanah division’s sole choice.
Another likely candidate is Salahuddin’s daughter, Fatihah, who some see as the best person to carry on her father’s legacy.
Fatihah, a lawyer, was Salahuddin’s campaign manager for the parliamentary contest in Pulai during GE15 and also for the Simpang Jeram seat during the Johor state polls last year.
Fatihah confirmed that a high-ranking Amanah leader had reached out to her as a potential candidate but she would not say if she had agreed.
“The Pulai seat is not a family seat. I leave it to the judgment of the committees in terms of my potential, qualification and experience, not just because I am Salahuddin’s daughter. I just hope the Rahmah initiatives continue,” she said.
The Amanah women’s wing committee member said there were two committees vetting candidates based on their qualification and potential.
Meanwhile, Perikatan Nasional information chief Datuk Seri Azmin Ali confirmed that a meeting was held among the coalition leaders yesterday to discuss the by-elections.
However, Azmin did not provide further information about the meeting or Perikatan’s potential candidates.
The Election Commission has set nomination day for the two by-elections on Aug 26. Polling is set on Sept 9, while early voting will be on Sept 5.
