Shahidan optimistic of defending Arau seat
ARAU, April 28 (Bernama) -- Perlis Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim is optimistic that he can defend the Arau parliamentary seat in the 14th General Election despite facing PAS Mursyidul Am (Spiritual Leader) Hashim Jasin.
The state UMNO Liaison Committee chairman is also set to face his old schoolmate Datuk Dr. Abdul Rahman Daud, who is representing PPBM and contesting on a PKR ticket.
Their nominations was announced by Arau parliamentary constituency returning officer Dr Mohd Zahari Ismail at 12.45pm at the nomination centre set up at Politeknik Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin here, today.
Shahidan said although he had known Abdul Rahman since Form One when they were schooling at SMK Dato Sheikh Ahmad, he would not face any problem giving his friend a good fight.
"We might be friends, but we still need to fight (in the election)... Hashim is also my friend but we have to fight," said Shahidan, adding that he and Abdul Rahman lived in the same housing area in Jejawi, near here.
In the meantime, he said he was confident that all the three parliamentary seats and 15 state seats in Perlis would be won by BN, following their good performance over the past five years.
Shahidan, who was wearing a dark blue baju melayu, arrived at the nomination centre with all the other BN candidates for state seats in the Arau constituency at about 9am, with over 300 supporters, before handing in his nomination papers at 9.18am.
Meanwhile, for the Pauh state seat, BN has fielded Arau UMNO Division committee member Rozieana Ahmad who will be challenging PAS candidate, Idris Yaacob and Amier Hassan (PKR-PPBM).
Simpang Empat incumbent Nurulhisham Yaakob (BN) faces PAS candidate Rus'sele Eizan and Dr Wan Noralhakim Shaghir Saad from PKR, while Afifi Osman (BN), Mohd Ridzuan Hashim (PAS) and Baridah Che Nayan (PKR-PPBM ) were named as candidates for the Guar Sanji state seat.
The Arau parliamentary constituency has 48,187 voters, comprising five state seats namely Pauh (11,200 voters), Tambun Tulang (10,535), Guar Sanji (9,233), Simpang Empat (8,547) and Sanglang (8,672).
-- BERNAMA
