Azmin returning to Hulu Kelang?

 

Azmin Ali failed to retain his Gombak parliamentary seat in last year’s general election, despite being a three-term MP. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: Selangor Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Azmin Ali is almost certain to contest the Hulu Kelang seat in next month’s Selangor state election.

A PN source said Azmin had a close connection with Hulu Kelang as it marked the first time he became an elected representative after winning the seat in the 10th general election in 1999.

“There is a big possibility that he will be a candidate in Hulu Kelang,” the source told FMT.

“His first victory as an assemblyman was in Hulu Kelang and he is returning there this time around.”

The source said Azmin, who was the Selangor menteri besar from 2014 to 2018, had already started preparing to contest in the Hulu Kelang constituency by opening a service centre there.

Last month, Azmin said he did not rule out contesting in the impending Selangor election despite having decided in February to take a break from politics.

Hulu Kelang is a majority Malay seat and has been held by Saari Sungib for three consecutive terms. However, Saari had said he would not seek re-election because of health issues.

Saari first won the seat in the 12th general election in 2008 when he was with PAS. He defended it in the next general election (GE13) when PAS was officially part of the now-defunct Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

Saari left PAS in 2015 along with several other leaders to form Amanah, and went on to retain the seat in the 14th general election (GE14) in 2018 under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) banner.

In last year’s general election (GE15), Azmin failed to retain his Gombak parliamentary seat, which he held for three terms, after losing to Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari.

Amirudin, the Selangor PH chairman, won the Gombak parliamentary seat with a majority of 12,729 votes in a five-cornered fight. - FMT