VIEWED with suspicion by some in Pakatan Harapan (PH) for his role in bringing down the Malacca state government, the coalition’s candidate, Idris Haron, says he is leaving his fate in the Asahan state seat to voters and God.

Idris, who was sacked by Umno and has now been brought into PH by PKR, filed his candidacy papers at the nomination centre in Kolej Komuniti Selandar this morning.

Both he and Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Fairul Nizam Roslan arrived at the same time, at 8.30am.

They were accompanied by their respective proposers and seconders as the Election Commission’s rules for the state polls do not allow supporters to gather due to the Covid-19 epidemic.

The two candidates also had to check into the premises with their MySejahtera apps and take their temperature readings.

“I leave it to God,” Idris told reporters at the nomination centre.

Asahan is considered a hot seat in the polls because of Idris’ contest here, as a former chief minister with hopes of reprising the role.

He was also among the four assemblymen who pulled support from Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali last month, triggering the state elections.

PH has been split on accepting him and fielding him as a candidate, with the loudest protests coming from DAP.

But PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim said Idris should not be considered a party-hopper as his move was meant to return the mandate to PH, which won the state in 2018.

Perikatan Nasional’s candidate, meanwhile, is Dhanesh Basil from Gerakan, who arrived about half an hour later to file his nomination.

Polling will be on November 20.

Physical gatherings to campaign for votes have been barred by the EC and Health Ministry to curb the spread of Covid-19. – November 8, 2021.