Former Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming said Tengku Zafrul was popular both at the national and state level, citing his background and “decent” performance as finance minister under the Muhyiddin Yassin and Ismail Sabri Yaakob administrations.

“I’m a bit disappointed because I’ve seen Tengku Zafrul in action before,” Ong said during a webinar by ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute today.

“I would have liked to see him as a candidate in Selangor. He would have been an exciting contribution to the (election) campaign.”

He said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the PH chairman, could have nominated Tengku Zafrul, but believed he may have refrained from doing so to “safeguard” the Selangor menteri besar’s post for PKR.

Tengku Zafrul, who is the the investment, trade and industry minister, had been widely tipped to contest in the Selangor election and even to be PH and BN’s menteri besar candidate.

However, the Kota Raja Umno chief was not among the 108 candidates announced by BN last Friday.

Muda will make waves online, not at the polls

Ong also expected Muda to make “a lot of waves” on social media and in the media, but not at the polls for most of the seats it is contesting.

“In terms of actual votes, it won’t make much of an impact. Maybe in marginal seats like Kuala Kubu Bharu that Muda may affect a little bit more than others. But a seat like Bandar Utama? I don’t think so,” he said.

Muda’s Siva Prakash will be standing in Kuala Kubu Bharu, a mixed seat held by DAP’s Lee Kee Hiong for the last two terms. Lee is seeking to defend her seat for a third term.

However, Marzuki Mohamad, a former aide to former prime minister Muhyiddin, said Muda’s potential to create an upset cannot be taken lightly.

He believed that Muda would be able to make some impact on the outcome of some of the contests, saying the Aug 12 elections were more competitive and that every vote counts.