ALOR SETAR, Nov 5 — The 15th general election (GE15) in Kedah will see 97-year-old statesman, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, defending his Langkawi parliamentary seat, as the former prime minister makes history as the oldest candidate in this election.
The Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) chairman, who is standing on the Pejuang ticket, will face Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Datuk Armishah Siraj, Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah (Perikatan Nasional), Zabidi Yahya (Pakatan Harapan) and independent candidate Datuk Abd Kadir Sainudin.
“I can see that I have a chance to win,” he said when met by the media in Langkawi today.
His son, Pejuang president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Mahathir is facing a four-cornered fight to defend his Jerlun parliamentary seat. Kedah UMNO liaison committee deputy chairman Datuk Othman Aziz (BN), Dr Abd Ghani Ahmad (PN) and Dr Mohamed Fadzil Mohd Ali (PH) will be contesting against him.
For the Sungai Petani parliamentary seat, Mohammed Taufiq Johari, 26, is PH’s bet to retain the seat previously held by his father, Datuk Johari Abdul for three terms, in a five-cornered fight.
Mohammed Taufiq will be opposed by Sungai Petani UMNO chief Datuk Shahanim Mohamad Yusoff, Pejuang Deputy President Datuk Marzuki Yahya, PN candidate Dr Robert Ling Kui Ee and Tan Chow Kang @ Tann Joon Long from Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM).
The Alor Setar parliamentary seat recorded the largest number of candidates contesting in Kedah, with seven candidates, Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden (PN), Datuk Mohamad Nuhairi Rahmat (Pejuang), Datuk Fadzil Hanafi (Warisan), Tan Chee Hiong (BN), Simon Ooi Tze Min (PH) and two independents, Datuk Nordin Yunus and Sofan Feroza Md Yusup.
A total of 68 candidates from various coalitions and political parties as well as independent candidates will contest 15 parliamentary seats in Kedah, where a total of 1,575,805 eligible voters will choose their elected representatives on Nov 19.
