IT will be hard to capture the Rantau state seat in Negri Sembilan as it is a Barisan Nasional stronghold but Pakatan Harapan is confident its candidate, Dr S. Streram, can pull it off, said Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Speaking to PH supporters on a campaign run in Kg Sri Lalang in Rantau, Wan Azizah hailed the fighting spirit of Streram, who could have given up after he was denied from contesting the seat in the last general election.

“He (Streram) could have given up in GE14, but he had a fighting spirit and he went on (to challenge the results). The former menteri besar (Mohamad Hasan) did not have to fight during GE14, but now we’re here,” she said.

In last year’s GE14, Umno deputy president Mohamad won the seat uncontested after the returning officer stopped Streram from filing his nomination papers.

Streram took the matter to election court, which had nullified Mohamad’s win, paving way for the by-election on April 13.

The two candidates, Mohamad and Streram, will face off again, joined by two other independents.

Wan Azizah also admitted that the three-term state rep Mohamad was a popular personality in Rantau. He is also the former Negri Sembilan menteri besar.

“We will do our best, I know it’s hard and this is a stronghold for Tok Mat, but we will work hard in Rantau.

“We want a candidate who will carry and implement the tenets of PKR,” said the former PKR president.

The Rantau polls is the seventh by-election post-GE14, and the third to be held in 2019 after Cameron Highlands and Semenyih. – March 31, 2019.