KUALA LUMPUR: Former Johor state assembly speaker Suhaizan Kaiat is set to be fielded by Pakatan Harapan in the Pulai by-election after the recent death of the seat’s incumbent, Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub.
Amanah, which is part of the Pakatan coalition, will also be fielding its Bakri division deputy chief Nazri Abdul Rahman for the Simpang Jeram state seat, said party president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu in a statement yesterday.
Both Suhaizan and Nazri had been Salahuddin’s aides.
Suhaizan, 50, is a computer science graduate who had been Salahuddin’s political secretary up until the latter’s death on July 23.Suhaizan also managed the Pulai service centre as the Amanah Pulai division chief, aside from being the Amanah Johor vice-chairman.
Nazri, meanwhile, is a 56-year-old engineer in Muar, Johor who had headed the economic bureau of Salahuddin’s Simpang Jeram service centre.
Mohamad said the two candidates will be introduced on Wednesday in Simpang Jeram during an event to commemorate the late Salahuddin, a Cabinet minister and lawmaker who was widely liked across the political divide.Mohamad said Suhaizan and Nazri were chosen by a candidate selection committee meeting consisting of several Amanah leaders.
The selection committee comprised party vice-president Adly Zahari, secretary-general Datuk Dr Hatta Ramli, vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar, Wanita chief Aiman Athirah Al Jundi, Youth chief Hasbie Muda and Amanah Johor state chairman Aminolhuda Hasan.
“They met and submitted a list of candidates to me and the Amanah central committee on Aug 17 to be finalised,” he said, adding that the two were chosen after taking into account the factors and views of the selection committee.
Last month, Salahuddin passed away at Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Alor Setar after suffering from a brain haemorrhage at 10.15pm on July 22.
He contested in the 14th General Election in 2018 and won both the Pulai parliamentary seat and Simpang Jeram state constituency.The Election Commission has set the nomination day for the state seats by-elections on Aug 26, while early voting is on Sept 5 and the polling day is on Sept 9.
