Muda to skip Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections

JOHOR BARU: Muda has decided not to field candidates in the upcoming Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections.

In a statement on Monday (Aug 21), the party’s political bureau said the decision was out of respect for the late Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, the elected representative for both the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state seats.

“As an individual, Salahuddin was a person with great merit who contributed much… to the country we love.

“Muda would like to say good luck to those contesting, especially from Amanah. May Salahuddin’s legacy be continued,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, Johor Muda chief Azrol Rahani said they would support the Amanah candidates in the two by-elections.

“We have great respect for Salahuddin, who played an instrumental role and gave us good advice when we first wanted to set up Muda in Johor,” he added.

Muda made its debut in the Johor state election in March last year, contesting seven seats and winning one, Puteri Wangsa, through deputy president Amira Aisya Abd Aziz.

It also contested in six parliamentary seats in GE15 on Nov 19, with party president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman successfully defending Muar but its other candidates losing.

Muda also stood in 19 seats during the six state elections on Aug 12. It not only failed to win a single seat, but all its candidates lost their deposits.

On Saturday (Aug 19), Amanah president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu announced that former Johor state speaker Suhaizan Kaiat is set to stand in Pulai while Bakri Amanah deputy chief Nazri Abdul Rahman will contest in Simpang Jeram.

Nomination day for the by-elections has been set for Aug 26, with early voting on Sept 5 and polling on Sept 9.

Salahuddin, who was Amanah’s deputy president and domestic trade and cost of living minister, died at age 61 on July 23 following surgery for a brain haemorrhage.