The announcement was made by Parti Amanah Negara President Mohamad Sabu.

“We want BN to lose.

“We need leaders who understand the life of farmers and fisherman in Sungai Besar,” he said at the Dewan Sri Sekinchan tonight.

Azhar is the Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) chairman for Sungai Besar.

A local boy, Azhar runs his own business and is believed to have influence in the local community.

Azhar’s popularity does not end here. He is also the son of a former assemblyman in the 1990s, Abdul Shukur Sirat

Among the Opposition leaders present at the ceremony were Amanah’s Adviser Ahmad Awang, PKR President Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, DAP leader Lim Kit Siang and several other leaders.

Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali was not present. This was believed to be on the advice of party leaders to maintain friendly relations with the Islamist party, PAS.

The by-election is to be held on June 18, with nominations on June 5

The parliamentary seat become vacant after the MP, Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Noriah Kasnon, died in a helicopter crash in Sebuyau, Sarawak, on May 5.

In the 13th General Election, Noriah won against PAS’s Mohamed Salleh M. Hussin with a majority of 399 votes.

Sungai Besar has 42,836 registered voters, with 67.18% Malays, 30.68% Chinese, 1.91% Indians and 0.23% voters from other races.

Azhar is expected to face BN’s Budiman Mohd Zohdi, who is also Sungai Panjang assemblyman, and PAS’s Meru assemblyman Dr Abdul Rani Osman.