PETALING JAYA: Ismail Abd Muttalib, who was dropped by Barisan Nasional (BN) as a candidate for the coming general election, will defend his Maran parliamentary seat in Pahang under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) banner.
This was announced by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang at an event in Marang, Terengganu, last night.
Ismail is the latest former Umno MP to defend his seat under a different party ticket after former Arau MP Shahidan Kassim.
Former Padang Besar MP Zahidi Zainul Abidin has also declared his intention to defend his seat, although he has yet to decide under which banner to stand.
Bernama quoted Hadi as saying that more BN leaders had expressed interest in becoming PN candidates in the coming polls.
He said PN was processing their applications and would announce their names on nomination day tomorrow.
“Can’t say how many seats. Most importantly, the seats are in the north, central and south,” he said after Terengganu PN announced its candidates in Rusila, Marang, last night.
The state PN named two fresh faces – Alias Razak and Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh – for the Kuala Nerus and Besut parliamentary seats, respectively.
Alias will be up against former PAS Syura Council secretary Khairuddin Aman Razali, who will be defending his seat under the BN banner.
Meanwhile, Hadi, Shaharizukirnain Abd Kadir, Ahmad Amzad Hashim, Wan Hassan Mohd Ramli and Che Alias Hamid of PAS will also defend their seats.
The Terengganu PN candidates are (all from PAS unless indicated):
Besut – Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh
Setiu – Shaharizukirnain Abd Kadir
Kuala Nerus – Alias Razak
Kuala Terengganu – Ahmad Amzad Hashim
Marang – Abdul Hadi Awang
Hulu Terengganu – Rosol Wahid (Bersatu)
Dungun – Wan Hassan Mohd Ramli
Kemaman – Che Alias Hamid
In the last general election, PAS won six of the eight parliamentary seats in Terengganu, while the remaining two – Besut and Hulu Terengganu – were won by BN.
