Johor MB to contest Pasir Gudang parliamentary, Permas seats 
JOHOR BAHRU, April 23 (Bernama) -- Johor Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced that he would be contesting both the parliamentary and state seats in the 14th general election (GE14).
Mohamed Khaled, who is Johor Menteri Besar, would be contesting for the Pasir Gudang parliamentary seat as well as to defend the Permas state seat, he said at the announcement of the Johor BN candidates for GE14 at the Johor UMNO liaison headquarters, here today.
Mohamed Khaled had contested at the Pasir Gudang parliamentary seat in 2004 and 2008 while the Permas state seat in 2013.
He said in the GE14, UMNO would contest in 16 parliamentary and 35 state seats, MCA (eight parliamentary, 15 state seats), MIC (one parliamentary, four state seats) and Gerakan (one parliamentary, two state seats).
"Of the 20 parliamentary seats won by the BN in the 13th general election, 15 incumbents are retained, while two incumbents. namely in Pasir Gudang and Kota Tinggi constituencies. have been dropped.
"Incumbent MP for Sekijang Anuar Manap moves to Kemelah state seat, while incumbent MP for Tebrau Datuk Khoo Soo Seang, does not want to contest in GE14 and Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique moves from the Tenggara to Kota Tinggi parliamentary seat," he said.
Mohamed Khaled said out of the 37 state seats won in the 13th general election (GE13), there were 19 incumbents retained to defend seats while 13 assemblymen did not make it to the list of candidates for the GE14.
He added that three incumbent assemblymen would be contesting for the parliamentary seats, namely, Datuk Ayub Rahmat (Kemelah) to contest for the Sekijang parliamentary seat, Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba (Pasir Raja) to contest for the Tenggara parliamentary and Ismail Mohamed (Bukit Kepong) to contest for the Pagoh parliamentary seat.
"Two assemblymen did not offer to contest, namely, Puan Sri Azizah Zakaria (Parit Raja) and Asiah Md Ariff (Johor Lama).
"Two candidates who lost in the GE13 will be contesting, namely, Datuk Tan Cher Puk for Johor Jaya and Tan Chong for Bekok state seats respectively," he said.
Mohamed Khaled said of the 82 candidates contesting in the parliamentary and state seats, nine of them were from the Wanita and one from Puteri wings respectively.
Meanwhile, new face Haliza Abdullah, who is Batu Pahat UMNO division Wanita chief, would be fielded to contest in the Batu Pahat parliamentary seat and Datuk Jason Teoh Sew Hock, who is Gelang Patah MCA chairman, to contest for the Iskandar Puteri parliamentary seat.
For state seats, Johor UMNO youth chief Hahasrin Hashim to contest for Panti seat; Johor UMNO Wanita chief Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain (Penawar); Gelang Patah UMNO division chief Mohammad Khairi A. Malek (Kota Iskandar) and Johor UMNO Puteri vice-president Nor Rashidah Ramli (Parit Raja).
Among the 15 incumbents to defend their respective seats are UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein (Sembrong); Felda chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad (Johor Bahru); Johor BN deputy chairman Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad (Mersing); Health Minister Datuk Seri S.Subramaniam (Segamat); MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong (Ayer Hitam) and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (Pengerang).
Kluang MCA chairman, who is also former deputy minister of Youth and Sports Gan Ping Sieu, would be making a comeback when he was nominated to contest for the Kluang parliamentary seat.
Gan won the Mengkibol state seat in GE11 but lost in the same state seat in the GE12 and was not fielded in the GE13.
Meanwhile, incumbent assemblyman Adham would contest for the Tenggara parliamentary seat, the same seat he contested in GE11, while in the GE12 and GE13, he won the Pasir Raja state seat.
-- BERNAMA
