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Former Bukit Gantang UMNO information chief Ismail Saffian has been named the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced Ismail's candidacy at the meet-the-people session in Taman Kota Jaya, Simpang near here Saturday. Ismail, 49, a local from Kampung Kubu, Bukit Gantang, is the Human Resources and Management Services Director of the National Solid Waste Management and Public Cleaning Corporation. Najib, who is Perak BN chairman, said a local was chosen to be the candidate in line with the wishes of the people in the area. The candidate was chosen after a series of discussions with divisional leaders as well as state leaders and assessment from various aspects, he told a news conference after the event. "We have chosen the best candidate for the BN... I'm confident that he will be a good member of Parliament and able to work with all," he said. Najib, who is Perak UMNO chief, also said that among the main criteria was that the candidate should be acceptable to the division. There was also a pre-condition that Ismail will not contest in the next divisional elections, he added. In the divisional elections last year, Ismail lost to Trong assemblyman Datuk Rosli Husin in the contest for the post of Bukit Gantang UMNO division chief. The Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent member of Parliament, Roslan Shaharum of PAS, on Feb 9 due to a heart attack. The Election Commission has fixed April 7 for the polling while the nomination day is on March 29. In the 12th general election last year, Roslan polled 20,015 votes to win the seat with a 1,566-vote majority. He beat UMNO treasurer Datuk Seri Azim Mohd Zabidi who polled 18,449 votes and an Independent candidate, M. Morgan, who polled 872 votes. The seat has 55,471 voters of whom 63.48 per cent are Malay voters, 26.77 Chinese, 9.71 per cent Indians and others, 0.4 per cent. The by-election is held simultaneously with the by-elections for the Bukit Selambau state seat in Kedah and Batang Ai state seat in Sarawak. (Bernama)
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