Isa Samad dropped from Negeri BN candidate list

Former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Mohd Isa Samad (above), who had been plagued by scandals involving the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda), has been dropped from the state’s BN candidate line-up for the 14th general election (GE14).

Despite being nominated by the incumbent Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Mohamad Hasan to contest, Mohd Isa was not selected as a candidate in the state.

Mohamad Hasan had reportedly said he had submitted Isa’s name as a candidate as he was an Umno division head which qualified him to contest in the elections.

There were also reports speculating that Umno might give up its Jelebu parliamentary seat for MIC’s Port Dickson seat previously known as Teluk Kemang.

The move was seen as a way to enable Isa to contest in Port Dickson as he is the Umno Teluk Kemang division chief.

However, former minister Rais Yatim who held the Jelebu seat till 2013 decried the possible move and subsequently Umno grassroots there threatened to suspend their election operations all which forced the seat- swap to be scrapped.

Hasan had today announced the list of BN candidates for Negeri Sembilan with MIC candidate Mogan Velayatham recontesting Port Dickson (previously known as Teluk Kemang).

Jempol, where Isa Samad is the incumbent parliamentarian, will be contested by Mohd Salim Sharif, who was once his political secretary.

Mohd Salim is the Jempol BN chief as well as the Jempol Umno division chief, a post which he took over in 2013.

Isa was Negeri Sembilan menteri besar for 22 years and in 2004, he won the vice-presidency in the party polls, but his post and membership were suspended after he was accused of vote-buying.

He made a comeback in 2008 and a year later, he won the Bagan Pinang by-election with an overwhelming majority.

In 2010, he was picked by caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak as Felda chief. However, he was soon embroiled in a number of scandals involving the state agency and was replaced by Umno Johor Bahru incumbent MP Shahrir Samad (above).

Najib subsequently named him acting chairperson of the Land Public Transport Commission (Spad). Two months later, Isa was arrested by MACC in connection with controversial hotel purchases made by Felda.

Two BN youth chiefs

Meanwhile, Hasan will defend his state seat Rantau in Negeri Sembilan, putting to rest rumours that he might be contesting a parliamentary seat and be given a position in the federal government instead.

BN Negeri Sembilan candidate list also boasts two BN component parties’ youth chiefs - Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon.

Khairy will be defending his Rembau parliamentary seat which he won with an 18,357-vote majority in the 2013 general election.

Chong, a first-time candidate, will be contesting Seremban where he will most likely go up against DAP organising secretary and the incumbent MP Anthony Loke.

Loke had won the Seremban parliamentary seat in 2013 in a five-way fight with a 12,553-vote majority.

The full line-up for Negeri Sembilan BN candidates is as follows:

PARLIAMENT:

Jelebu - Jalaluddin Alias
Jempol - Mohd Salim Sharif
Seremban - Chong Sin Woon
Kuala Pilah - Hasan Malek
Rasah - Ng Kean Nam
Rembau - Khairy Jamaluddin
Port Dickson - VS Mogan
Tampin - Shahziman Abu Mansor

STATE:

Chennah - Seet Tee Yin
Pertang - Noor Azmi Yusuf
Sungai Lui - Mohd Razi Mohd Ali
Klawang - Baharuddin Jali
Serting - Shamsul Kahar Mohd Deli
Palong - Mustafa Nagoor
Jeram Padang - L Manikam Lecuman
Bahau - Choong Wan You
Lenggeng - Mazlan Maarop
Nilai - Leaw Kok Chan
Lobak - Lim Kok Kean
Temiang - Siow Koi Voon
Sikamat - Samsul Amri Ismail
Ampangan - Abu Ubaidah Redza
Juasseh - Ismail Lasim
Seri Menanti - Abd Samad Ibrahim
Senaling - Adnan Abu Hasan
Pilah - Norhayati Omar
Johol - Saiful Yazan
Labu - Hasim Rusdi
Bukit Kepayang - Mah Kah Yong
Rahang - Yap Sui Moi
Mambau - Hoi Choi Sin
Seremban Jaya - Choong Vee Hing
Paroi - Ghazali Wahid
Chembong - Saiful Bahari Idris
Rantau - Mohamad Hasan
Kota - Awaluddin Said
Chuah - Lim Chin Sui
Lukut - Yeong Con Yu
Bagan Pinang - Hairuddin Abu Bakar
Linggi - Abd Rahman Mohd Redza
Sri Tanjung - Thinalan Rojagapalu
Gemas - Abd Razak Said
Gemencheh - Hisham Mohd Isa
Repah - Pui Kim Swee 

-Mkini