The Malaysian Insight

MORE than a month after it declared it would wrest back all the seats it lost to defection, PKR has announced its candidates for the 2022 general election.

PKR lost 11 parliamentary seats in 2020 after their MPs decided to leave the party for Bersatu .

Anwar Ibrahim last time in Ampang reiterated his appeal he had made many times in every ceramah for the past few weeks.

“The people of Ampang, Gombak, Bandar Tun Razak and Selangor, and all the states in Malaysia… first, teach the traitors a lesson; throw them out,” he said.

“Second, show that the people have power. We can change the political landscape in this country.”

To the candidates, Anwar said PKR is a party struggling for the people.

“This is not Umno or Bersatu. This is the people’s party and all about reform,” ​​he said.

Anwar told the candidates to always remember the people who supported them and braved the rain and mud to see them presented.

“The people who are elected must leaders and representatives of the people who will speak in parliament, shake up parliament on behalf of the majority… not on behalf of the rich, the big capitalists.

“They must voice the aspirations of the people, the conscience of the majority of Malaysians… Malays, Chinese, Indians, Orang Asal, Iban, Kadazan, Murut, Bidayuh, everyone.”

Anwar reminded PKR representatives never to be arrogant.

“A candidate knows the meaning of struggle, and of course, he is not a traitor,” he said.

11 PKR seats

The first candidate to be announced was central leadership council member R. Yuneswaran for Segamat. It is one of the 11 parliamentary seats that PKR plans to take back. 

Former PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will stand in Bandar Tun Razak. The seat was previously won by Kamarudin Jaffar in GE14.

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari will run for Gombak. He faces Mohamed Azmin Ali, who won 63% of the vote in 2018.

For the Ampang seat, PKR named Selangor exco Rodziah Ismail to challenge Zuraida Kamaruddin, who has held the seat for three terms since 2008. In GE14, Zuraida won almost 71% of the vote.

Federal Territories PKR leader Onn Abu Bakar was nominated to run for Batu Pahat. The seat was previously won by Rashid Hasnon, who was the deputy speaker of the Dewan Rakyat last term.

Former Kapar MP G. Manivanan was assigned to run for Kuala Langat. The seat was held by Dr Xavier Jayakumar.

PKR women’s chief Fadhlina Sidek is headed for Nibong Tebal, a seat that was previously held by ex-party member Mansor Othman.

Deputy branch chairman  Zuraidi Ismail will stand in Indera Mahkota. He is expected to face incumbent Saifuddin Abdullah of Bersatu.

The other four seats that PKR lost were Saratok, Puncak Borneo, and Selangau in Sarawak and Ranau in Sabah.

The candidates will be announced on Monday and Tuesday.

Until then, as a senior PKR leader told reporters last night: “The wind of change starts blowing from Ampang.” – October 29, 2022.