Muda to clash with PKR in Larkin

Muda to clash with PKR in Larkin


JOHOR POLLS | Muda today confirmed that it will go against PKR in Larkin, setting the stage for possible retaliation in the other six seats it will be contesting.

Muda announced its Johor information chief Rasid Abu Bakar as the candidate in Larkin, where PKR has already announced Zamil Najwah Arbain as its candidate.

Muda president Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman said Rasid comes from a working-class family, having helped his family to sell satay and is now an executive at an international firm.

Asked about the impending clash with PKR, Syed Saddiq said all efforts had been exhausted.

“We have gone through multiple rounds of negotiations. Negotiations with DAP and Amanah were successfully concluded without overlap.

“As you realised, PKR announced they will be contesting in all 20 seats early last week. For Muda, we respect friends in PKR.

“Similarly, we said we want to focus on seats won by Bersatu and Umno and these are the seats we will be contesting in to offer our candidates for fellow Johoreans to pick,” he told a press conference in Johor Bahru today.

Muda president Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman


PKR grassroots leaders have warned that they will push to field candidates in Muda-allocated seats if Muda contested in PKR-allocated seats, particularly in Puteri Wangsa which is seen as Muda’s best chance.

Asked about potential retaliation from PKR, Syed Saddiq reiterated that they have tried their best to avoid overlaps.

PKR sources told Malaysiakini that they will convene a political bureau meeting tomorrow to decide if their party should retaliate against Muda in all seats.

He also announced Muda's candidates for Machap and Parit Raja, which are among the six seats in which Amanah and DAP surrendered to the youth-led party.

Johor Muda deputy chief R Sangaran will contest in Machap while Johor Muda secretary Fikri Musa will be fielded in Parit Raja.

Muda again challenged convention by fielding a non-Malay in Machap. Neither the government nor opposition has ever fielded a non-Malay in the seat which comprises 62 percent Malays, 32 percent Chinese and five percent Indians.

The party had similar made a similar move in Tenang.

Defending a decision, Syed Saddiq stated that Muda's considerations are based on values.

"Some will ask why do we field an Indian candidate in Machap when there isn't a big Indian community there.

"I wish to reiterate that Muda is a multiracial party that focuses on values and service regardless of whether they are Malay, Chinese or Indian. As long as they wish to serve, they should be given the opportunity," he said.

Syed Saddiq said Sangaan, who is now a lawyer, was the son of a lorry driver and a housewife. Both parents died when he was 17.

Meanwhile, Fikri is an engineer who has conducted welfare work for Bersatu.

The candidates will officially be nominated on Feb 26. Johoreans will go to the polls in March 12.

The full list of seven Muda candidates are as follow:

N05 Tenang - Lim Wei Jiet

N07 Bukit Kepong - Afiqah Zulkifli

N22 Parit Raja - Fikri Musa

N26 Machap - R Sangaran

N41 Puteri Wangsa - Amira Aisya Abd Aziz

N44 Larkin - Rasid Abu Bakar

N50 Bukit Permai - Azrol Rahani