As Selangor BN's menteri besar-in-waiting list gets longer and longer, Glomac chief executive officer Fateh Iskandar Mansor appears to be a consistent name on the list.
Better known as FD Iskandar, speculation surrounding the businessman first surfaced when he was appointed Selangor Umno treasurer in 2009.
Four years down the line, the buzz around the the corporate top gun has far from receded, with pundits still touting him as a favourite for the post if BN takes Selangor.
Already, FD Iskandar (left) - FD being the initials of his grandfather Fateh Din, which his father FD Mansor has also adopted as part of his name - is already on the boards of top BN-linked companies.
In 2009, he was planted on the board of the NSTP Group and Media Prima Bhd, ostensibly to represent Umno interests there.
Sources claim that BN chief Najib Abdul Razak himself has approached the cherubic 48-year-old for the post, and that his appointment as Selangor BN treasurer was specifically for this purpose.
It is said that Najib brought FD Iskandar in to pre-empt possible grouses among the party ranks if he had selected someone outside of the party to head the government in the nation's richest state.
All the same, sources claim that FD Iskandar, speculated to be contesting against PKR in Kota Anggerik, has been coy about whether he will take it up the offer.
It is believed that he could be reluctant due to his involvement in the family business, Glomac. The public-listed property development company which has a total sales value of RM4 billion was founded by his father in 1988.
FD Iskandar has been with the company for more than two decades, joining the family business as managing director of business development in 1992.
He graduated with a degree in law and a master's in business administration from the University of Queensland, which incidentally is the alma mater of incumbent Selangor MB Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
Abdul Khalid, who also has a corporate background, is expected to remain MB if Pakatan Rakyat retains Selangor.
Better known as FD Iskandar, speculation surrounding the businessman first surfaced when he was appointed Selangor Umno treasurer in 2009.
Four years down the line, the buzz around the the corporate top gun has far from receded, with pundits still touting him as a favourite for the post if BN takes Selangor.
Already, FD Iskandar (left) - FD being the initials of his grandfather Fateh Din, which his father FD Mansor has also adopted as part of his name - is already on the boards of top BN-linked companies.In 2009, he was planted on the board of the NSTP Group and Media Prima Bhd, ostensibly to represent Umno interests there.
Sources claim that BN chief Najib Abdul Razak himself has approached the cherubic 48-year-old for the post, and that his appointment as Selangor BN treasurer was specifically for this purpose.
It is said that Najib brought FD Iskandar in to pre-empt possible grouses among the party ranks if he had selected someone outside of the party to head the government in the nation's richest state.
All the same, sources claim that FD Iskandar, speculated to be contesting against PKR in Kota Anggerik, has been coy about whether he will take it up the offer.
It is believed that he could be reluctant due to his involvement in the family business, Glomac. The public-listed property development company which has a total sales value of RM4 billion was founded by his father in 1988. FD Iskandar has been with the company for more than two decades, joining the family business as managing director of business development in 1992.
He graduated with a degree in law and a master's in business administration from the University of Queensland, which incidentally is the alma mater of incumbent Selangor MB Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
Abdul Khalid, who also has a corporate background, is expected to remain MB if Pakatan Rakyat retains Selangor.
Noh or Mohd Zin?
For Selangor voters, however, FD Iskandar is an unfamiliar name, at least against the likes of other MB hopefuls, such as caretaker Agriculture Minister Noh Omar and Selangor BN coordinator Mohd Zin Mohamed.
Last week, Chinese daily Sin Chew reported that Mohd Zin came up tops in a recent Facebook survey. The daily reported that Mohd Zin outclassed FD Iskandar by several thousand votes in the third party survey.
But according to a yet-to-be-published Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) research survey, Mohd Zin (left), who was once works minister, is trailing Noh in the popularity contest.
"We asked people who they would like to be MB, and the most common answer was Noh and Mohd Zin, with Noh edging Mohd Zin slightly, possibly due to his cabinet post," UKM political scientist Samsu Adabi Mamat said.
Samsu Adabi, however, said that the detailed findings of the UKM survey, conducted in Selangor in January to March, will be presented later this month.
The School of History, Politics and Strategy associate professor said Selangor BN this time around has a wealth of candidates to choose from, but choosing outside the political structure may rock the boat.
"It is usually more advisable if those who have a longer track record of contributing to the party are selected," he said.
Keep 'em guessing
The political scientist said that in Selangor, keeping all quarters guessing is a "good strategy" which Najib seems to be mindful of when he named himself Selangor BN liaison chief.
"We see Selangor Umno party workers are now engaged in a guessing game, and this is motivation for each (MB hopeful) camp to work harder," he said.
Announcing an MB candidate in high-stakes Selangor, he said, could be very dangerous for the BN as seen in Kelantan in 2008.
"(Caretaker deputy finance minister) Awang Adek Hussin was named as MB candidate ahead of Kelantan Umno liaison chief Annuar Musa and this led to friction among the machinery," he said.
Other candidates reportedly in the BN list as potential Selangor MB are Prime Minister's Office's Special Affairs Divison (Jasa) chief Fuad Hassan, Sungai Burong incumbent Mohd Shamsuddin Lias, Taman Templer incumbent Subahan Kamal and Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (Mais) chairperson Mohamad Adzib Mohd Isa.
For Selangor voters, however, FD Iskandar is an unfamiliar name, at least against the likes of other MB hopefuls, such as caretaker Agriculture Minister Noh Omar and Selangor BN coordinator Mohd Zin Mohamed.
Last week, Chinese daily Sin Chew reported that Mohd Zin came up tops in a recent Facebook survey. The daily reported that Mohd Zin outclassed FD Iskandar by several thousand votes in the third party survey.
But according to a yet-to-be-published Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) research survey, Mohd Zin (left), who was once works minister, is trailing Noh in the popularity contest."We asked people who they would like to be MB, and the most common answer was Noh and Mohd Zin, with Noh edging Mohd Zin slightly, possibly due to his cabinet post," UKM political scientist Samsu Adabi Mamat said.
Samsu Adabi, however, said that the detailed findings of the UKM survey, conducted in Selangor in January to March, will be presented later this month.
The School of History, Politics and Strategy associate professor said Selangor BN this time around has a wealth of candidates to choose from, but choosing outside the political structure may rock the boat.
"It is usually more advisable if those who have a longer track record of contributing to the party are selected," he said.
Keep 'em guessing
The political scientist said that in Selangor, keeping all quarters guessing is a "good strategy" which Najib seems to be mindful of when he named himself Selangor BN liaison chief.
"We see Selangor Umno party workers are now engaged in a guessing game, and this is motivation for each (MB hopeful) camp to work harder," he said.Announcing an MB candidate in high-stakes Selangor, he said, could be very dangerous for the BN as seen in Kelantan in 2008.
"(Caretaker deputy finance minister) Awang Adek Hussin was named as MB candidate ahead of Kelantan Umno liaison chief Annuar Musa and this led to friction among the machinery," he said.
Other candidates reportedly in the BN list as potential Selangor MB are Prime Minister's Office's Special Affairs Divison (Jasa) chief Fuad Hassan, Sungai Burong incumbent Mohd Shamsuddin Lias, Taman Templer incumbent Subahan Kamal and Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (Mais) chairperson Mohamad Adzib Mohd Isa.
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