Fairul, 43, who is fondly called “Along”, said an assemblyman was not just an elected representative looking after the aged and the young like primary school pupils, but unborn children as well.

“An assemblyman is the closest public figure to the people and he virtually knows all the residents in the constituency,” he said in a special programme on Umno Facebook online.

As such, he said, young leaders were important to keep pace with the people but, at the same time, the leadership of the seniors was equally important as they had enormous experience.

Fairul said his nickname Along was not just a name but had deep meaning for him.

He said he would prefer the community in Asahan to call him Along, as he was close to them, rather than address him as Yang Berhormat if given the mandate to represent them.

“I have been called Along since I was a boy and the name somehow got stuck on me and now the people in Asahan call me Along,” he said.

Fairul, who is also the Melaka Umno Youth chief, said the Asahan community was close to his heart as his political career began in 1997 in Alor Gajah.

He also said a priority of his would be the education of children in Asahan because it could be “the key to stabilise the economy of the family, state and country”.

The Asahan seat will see a six-cornered battle among Fairul, B Danesh (Perikatan Nasional), former chief minister Idris Haron (Pakatan Harapan) and three independents – Mohd Noor Salleh, Azmar Ab Hamid and Mohd Akhir Ayob.