Kedah PH chairman Mukhriz Mahathir said the menteri besar post was not something one ran for, and that the coalition had to first win at the state level before deciding who is most suited to the position.
“But I made a promise to Kedah that even if I were to stand in a parliamentary seat, I would still be very much involved in the goings-on and administration in the state.
“So after some discussions with both PH chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad and PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin, it was decided that I should be standing in two seats,” he said at a press conference after a ceramah in Padang Matsirat here last night.
Also present were Mahathir, PH president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Muhyiddin, and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu.
Mahathir had announced last night that Mukhriz would be contesting the Jerlun parliamentary seat, as well as the Jitra state seat.
On why he was not defending the Ayer Hitam state seat which he won on a Barisan Nasional (BN) ticket in the last polls, Mukhriz said he would like to move to seats which PH has not won, as he had done in the past.
The PPBM deputy president said when he was Jerlun MP, he had freely surrendered the seat to the incumbent Othman Aziz, and that the latter had won.
“I then took over the seat he previously lost, which was Ayer Hitam.
“It is the same this time. I am not defending the Ayer Hitam state seat which I have won before. I am moving to capture another state seat, which is Jitra, as well as going back to Jerlun.
“These two seats are not easy seats. I see it as my responsibility as Kedah PH chairman to ensure these seats are won by PH.”
When questioned on possible criticism that he had been asked to contest in both a state and parliamentary seat due to a dearth in PPBM candidates, Mukhriz said PH’s main focus was to win.
“It is not a question of no candidates, but who can deliver victory for PH. So the view was that I cannot leave the Kedah state legislative assembly, which is why I have also been asked to contest a state seat, apart from a parliamentary seat.”
On whether the announcement of Mahathir’s candidacy for the Langkawi parliamentary seat would result in Kedah swinging back to the opposition, Mukhriz said he was hopeful this would be the case.
“I am hoping that the announcement this evening will bode well not only for Langkawi and Kedah, but also Perlis, Penang, Perak and perhaps the whole country,” he added.
He said PPBM had a good mix of candidates to stand in Kedah this coming election.
He said not all were politicians as some were from NGOs and others from the business arena. There was also a number of young candidates, he added.
“I think we have a good chance of putting forward a good package for the voters in Kedah.
“But you must also understand that we are not the only ones contesting on behalf of PH in Kedah. There is also PKR, Amanah, and DAP. It is that whole package that is being offered by PH that should be looked at as a whole.”
He also downplayed the impact of PAS in possible three-cornered fights in the state.
“Of course we expect there will be three-cornered fights in almost all seats in Kedah, and we are ready for it.
“I don’t think PAS will be such a huge factor. They still have supporters but I think we will be able to garner more Malay votes compared to PAS or Umno.”
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