Pakatan’s Juwairiya goes one-on-one with ex-boss Perikatan’s Azmin in Hulu Kelang

GOMBAK, July 29 — The Hulu Kelang seat will be contested by two candidates on August 12.

The candidates are Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Juwairiya Zulkifli.

The candidates were announced by returning officer Khairul Arzawati Khalid, and there were no nomination papers rejected.

Azmin’s candidacy today marks his return to the seat that he previously won in 1999.

“I want to invite everyone to come out and vote, especially those from the Gombak parliamentary constituency, and Selangor to come out in droves because this is their democratic right, to vote on August 12.

“I am confident, as what we have seen today, it is the wave of discontent, not just in Gombak but nationwide, on the carelessness, weakness, and failure of the government in Putrajaya to address the rakyat’s problems.

“There is absolutely no focus on economic problems, cost of living and inflation that afflicts the country today,” Azmin told reporters at the nomination centre here in Sungai Pusu.

He said when the people compare, they can see that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and PN handled the unprecedented pandemic crisis well.

It is based on this past performance, that the rakyat will know that PN has the capacity and capability to manage and elevate Selangor, he added.

When asked if he felt the pressure of facing a much younger candidate — Juwairiya — Azmin said he too is young.

“I’m young too. The question is the rakyat want to see what the leadership and the rakyat’s representative can bring to them.

“My opponent comes from PH. For sure, they (rakyat) would have seen that the PH government has no record of success in the last eight months, so I believe the rakyat in Hulu Kelang, Gombak and Selangor will see that the future of this state under PN,” Azmin said.

Since it is a straight fight with Juwairiya, he said it will be easier for the people to choose between A or B.

“I accept our past defeats... maybe there are weaknesses that we need to fix; hence, Hulu Kelang is my political base and I was given the mandate as early as 1999.

“When I was elected as the Gombak MP, Hulu Kelang was in the Gombak parliamentary constituency, so there is no issue of ‘running away’ as alleged by my political foes.

“The ones who ran away from their political base are people like from Permatang Pauh (referring to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim), who ran to Port Dickson, then onto Tambun — that’s running away.

“But Hulu Kelang is my kampung. I was raised in Kampung Klang Gate Baru since 1968, and my parents’ house was the first that was established in the kampung. That’s why the house number is 1E, the first house that was built there.

“My family and relatives are in Hulu Kelang, and with the past services that I have contributed here, I am confident the Hulu Kelang constituents will give their support to PN,” Azmin said.

As for Juwairiya, a local girl born and raised in Lembah Keramat, who went to school in Taman Permata, she said Hulu Kelang was her playground when she was younger.

“I know this area very well, and my opponent is also not a stranger to me. He was my party’s deputy president, and my former boss.

“It will be tight, and slim as the battle here will be between a former assemblyman and MP (Azmin). But I’m no outsider, I’m a local girl, I grew up here, it was only later I moved away.

“So my friends and family are welcoming me back to my hometown,” she said when met by reporters at the nomination centre.

When asked if she felt nervous taking over a seat that was in the past helmed by PAS, and then Amanah, Juwairiya said the situation of swapping the seats has been resolved.

“I have met former assemblyman Saari Sungib and his daughter Anfaal Saari. They are both accepting of the situation. We have spoken to the machinery, and we will collaborate and focus on campaign on the ground,” she added, referring to her previously designated seat, Batu Tiga, while Anfaal will be fielded in Taman Templer. The Batu Tiga seat will be contested by an Amanah candidate.

Polling day for the Selangor state has been set for August 12, while early voting will take place on August 8.

A total of 56 seats will be contested in Selangor.