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(The Electric New Paper) - A FORMER legal eagle has been named as Barisan Nasional's candidate in next month's Kuala Terengganu by-election
Mr Wan Ahmad Farid Salleh has held important posts during his 13 years in politics, including his present deputy home Minister portfolio.
The 46-year-old former syariah court lawyer, who graduated from Thames Valley University, London, had been the favourite to be BN's pick for the Jan 17 elections.
Not only is he a native of the Kuala Terengganu constituency, he is also a two-term chief of its Umno division.
The by-election was called after deputy education minister Datuk Razali Ismail's death from a heart attack on Nov28.
Mr Wan Ahmad was quick to challenge detractors who said he lacked experience.
He said: 'Know me before judging me. That is why I want to go down to the grassroots, meet them myself and ask to be given a chance to prove myself.'
But it seems that Mr Wan Ahmad has already impressed some key people.
Both Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi thought of nominating him as candidate.
Mr Najib said Mr Wan Ahmad has got the support of all 103 Umno branches in the parliamentary constituency, reported New Straits Times (NST).
Must win
Mr Najib, who takes over as PM in March next year, said it was crucial for BN to win the by-election for two reasons.
First was to reclaim the party's dignity after the loss in the Permatang Pauh by-election - where Mr Anwar Ibrahim won by a landslide.
Second, it was to honour Datuk Razali's contribution to both state and country.
The DPM urged all BN component parties to unite behind Mr Wan Ahmad.
He told NST: 'I know that the choice of candidate can cause infighting among ordinary members as well as at the divisional level.
'But if there is unity at the top, then there would not be a problem among members.'
Meanwhile, rival party PAS, which will carry the Pakatan Rakyat banner, has yet to name its candidate, with party leaders expected to make a decision this week.
But PAS isn't BN's only opposition.
This by-election could very well see a six-cornered fight.
The Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim) party and three independents have already expressed interest in the seat.
One of the three is 89-year-old Maimun Yusuf, a textile trader with seven grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
The second is entrepreneur Mohd Azlan Ismail and the third is scrap rubber dealer Isma Arifath Hassanuddin.
The Kuala Terengganu constituency was held by BN in 1986, then went to the opposition in 1990, back to BN in 1995, then to the opposition in 1999, and back to BN in 2004 and this year.
About 80,000 voters are eligible to vote.
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