He said that as someone who was “married to politics” he did not want to be a mere bystander in the state assembly elections expected to be held after June.

“I am no spectator, I must be involved in political contests,” Berita Harian quoted him as saying. “After being booted out of Umno, I am not going to be a cheerleader.”

Harian Metro reported Noh as saying that he wanted to make Tanjong Karang a PN stronghold. “This will be my cause,” he was quoted as saying.

Noh’s comments come a day after it was reported that his daughter Nurul Syazwani would be contesting a state seat on a Bersatu ticket.

After his expulsion from Umno, for allegedly having sabotaged the party during the November 2022 general election, Noh had said he would become an “independent speaker” and was willing to speak at Perikatan Nasional events if invited.

Noh was MP for Tanjong Karang for six terms before being dropped as a candidate in November.