Perikatan maintains Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar as future MB in Terengganu state polls, Ahmad Amzad Hashim for Kuala Terengganu by-election
KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — Perikatan Nasional announced its 32 candidates for the Terengganu state polls last, which included caretaker menteri besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.
Ahmad Samsuri, who is also the PAS vice-president, will be defending his Rhu Rendang state seat in the August 12 vote.
Others candidates who will be defending their seats were Mohd Nurkhuzaini Abdul Rahman (Kota Putera), Dr Azman Ibrahim (Jabi), Hishamuddin Abdul Karim (Tepuh), Ridzuan Hashim (Buluh Gading), Wan Sukairi Wan Abdullah (Wakaf Mempelam), and Ahmad Shah Muhamed (Bandar).
The list also include Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi (Batu Buruk), Ariffin Deraman (Alur Limbat), Mohd Nor Hamzah (Bukit Payung), Sulaiman Sulong (Pengkalan Berangan), Hilmi Harun (Manir), Mamad Puteh (Kuala Berang), Maliaman Kassim (Ajil), Saiful Azmi Suhaili (Kemasik) and Hanafiah Mat (Cukai), who will be retaining their seat.
Out of the 32 candidates, Zuraida Md Noor was the only woman candidate. She will be contesting the Ladang seat.
The announcement of the candidates were read out by the Terengganu PAS commissioner Datuk Husain Awang.
Husain also announced that Datuk Ahmad Amzad Hashim will re-contest in the by-election for the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat.
Last month, the Election Court in Terengganu invalidated Ahmad Amzad’s victory by a majority of 40,907 votes in the Kuala Terengganu seat during last November’s 15th general election.
The state Umno had objected to the PAS man’s win and filed a petition last January 3 at the High Court to annul the GE15 result of the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat in accordance with the Election Offences Act 1954.
Terengganu Umno chief Datuk Seri Ahmad Said accused PAS of having bribed voters in the parliamentary constituency by distributing financial aid from the state government through the i-Pencen, i-Belia and i-Siswa initiatives between November 15 and 17, 2022, which was just a few days before GE15.
The announcement of the candidates’ for the state election and the parliamentary by-election was held at the Dewan Tuk Guru, Rusila Marang and also livestreamed on PAS’ social media platforms.
Present at the announcement were PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang and the party secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.
In his speech, Abdul Hadi said that the candidates from PAS and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) that were chosen were vetted based on the Islamic laws and have taken oath.
“For PAS, there were about three to four eligible candidates for each state seats. They vetting process is to make sure that these candidates are honest, did not commit big sins or wrongdoing.
“Therefore, the leadership passed these candidates based on the Islamic laws and not by the news they hear from the people,” he said.
Abdul Hadi also told the candidates to work hard to win all the 32 state seats in the upcoming poll.
