MUAR: Parti Pejuang Tanah Air’s state chief Datuk Shahruddin Md Salleh and the son of a former mentri besar are among the many 42 candidates that it’ll subject in its electoral debut within the Johor polls.
Shahruddin, who can be Sri Gading MP and a former deputy minister, is predicted to contest in Machap, which is able to see a five-cornered struggle.
Another notable Pejuang candidate is Nornekman Osman, son of the late Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian. He will probably be fielded in Osman’s seat of Kempas.
Osman of Bersatu served because the sixteenth mentri besar from May 2018 till his resignation in April 2019. He died on Dec 21 final yr.
Pejuang president Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir mentioned most of its candidates are new faces aside from Shahruddin and former Nusajaya assemblyman Dr Zaini Abu Bakar.
“The candidates come from various backgrounds and most are first-time participants in politics,” he advised a press convention yesterday.
Four candidates are ladies whereas virtually half of them are beneath 50 years previous.
The youngest Pejuang candidate is 26-year-old Muhammad Airel Zabridin, who will probably be fielded in Serom, whereas Intan Nadira Shafika Mustafa Kamal @ Mohd Najib, 28, will contest Sungai Balang.
“A majority of them are from the private sector while some are NGO leaders as well as academicians,” Mukhriz added.
“Pejuang will be going solo in the state election but is willing to work with any coalition.”
Asked why Pejuang is putting its candidates within the northern area as a substitute of in Johor Baru like different events, Mukhriz replied: “Why not? We don’t have to do it in Johor Baru. After all we are contesting in the whole of Johor.”
Asked if there have been any essential seats, Mukhriz mentioned all seats have been essential to the occasion.
“We have to try our best to win as many as we can,” he mentioned.
Pejuang can be fielding Mahdzir Ibrahim, a former DAP candidate for the Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat within the 14th General Election, within the Semerah state seat.
