Mahkota seat: Selection of candidate to be decided by national leadership - Mohamad

GUA MUSANG, Aug 12 (Bernama) -- The decision to field a candidate to contest the Mahkota state seat will be made by party leaders at the national level, said Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.

He said that while Amanah members can express their views, the final decision rests with the national leadership.

“That's an opinion, not a decision, our members are free to voice their opinion. However, the decision will be made by leaders at the national level,” he said when met by reporters at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security's Engagement programme with leaders of the Gua Musang Area Farmers' Association here today.

He was commenting on the statement of Kluang Amanah chief Dr Mohd Zuhan Mohd Zain on the intention to field a candidate in the Mahkota state by-election.

On Monday, Mohd Zuhan was reported to have said that Amanah was prepared to field a candidate and had already compiled a list of names for review by the state and central leadership.

Meanwhile, yesterday, the media reported that Johor UMNO deputy chief Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said the position or conditions requested by Amanah regarding the Mahkota state seat could be negotiated.

The Election Commission (EC) will convene a special meeting tomorrow to discuss the implementation of the Mahkota state seat by-election following the official notification from Johor State Assembly Speaker Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi regarding the extraordinary vacancy.

The Mahkota state seat became vacant after its incumbent, Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain, 63, passed away on Aug 2 while receiving treatment at Enche' Besar Hajjah Khalsom Hospital in Kluang.

In the Johor State Election held in March 2022, Sharifah Azizah, representing Barisan Nasional won the seat with a majority of 5,166 votes, defeating Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Muhammad Tagiuddin Cheman, Perikatan Nasional's Mohamad Nor Lingan, and Warisan's Mohamed Noor Suleiman.

-- BERNAMA