'Calon kayangan' label doesn't bother Zafrul

 

Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, the BN candidate for Kuala Selangor, said he was unperturbed with his calon kayangan (heavenly candidate) label.

Speaking to reporters in Kuala Selangor last night, Zafrul said what mattered to him was public interest and welfare.

“We respect the views of our rivals. We hope for a clean campaign,” he said, according to Sinar Harian.

Zafrul, 49, grew up in a position of privilege. He studied at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar before furthering his studies in the UK.

He was formerly a high-flying banker before he was appointed as finance minister on March 10, 2020, by then-premier Muhyiddin Yassin.

He kept his position when Ismail Sabri Yaakob took over as prime minister a year later.

Unlike most of Umno’s parliamentary candidates, Zafrul did not have to go through the rigours that come with being elected to a division-level position within the party.

However, he appeared to have won over Kuala Selangor Umno division chief Jahaya Ibrahim, who initially protested against the idea of having an “outsider” seeking a seat in his territory.

Both Zafrul and Jahaya have been appearing in public together since August.

Member since 1997

Zafrul, 49, explained that he has been a member of Umno since 1997.

He said he once worked as an officer to a deceased Umno cabinet minister.

Zafrul added that he had never dreamed of being a lawmaker himself until his stint as a finance minister.

“After three years as finance minister, especially since we have to face economic challenges due to Covid-19, it opened my eyes to the importance of politics and the value of Umno and BN’s struggle,” he said.

Zafrul said his focus for Kuala Selangor would be better roads, public transportation, welfare, and education, among others.

The incumbent for Kuala Selangor is Amanah's Dzulkefly Ahmad, who wrested the seat from BN by winning 49.97 percent of the vote in 2018. - Mkini