MUKHRIZ Mahathir’s contributions as the Jerlun MP from 2008 until 2013 and during his brief stint as Kedah menteri besar still carry weight with voters in Jerlun, a parliamentary seat in the northern state of Kedah.

The 53-year-old politician is back to contest the Malay-majority seat, where 90% of the voters are padi farmers.

It will be tough for him to make a comeback due to the three-cornered fight against the incumbent Othman Aziz of Barisan Nasional (BN) and PAS’s Abd Ghani Ahmad, but Jerlun voters are hoping that Mukhriz will represent them after the 14th general election.

“I come from a family that supports PAS; I used to vote for PAS in the past general elections but this time around I will support and vote for Mukhriz.

“His influence is very strong here. When he was our member of Parliament he would go on the ground, go to the villages and even as menteri besar he really focused on the state’s development,” fruit seller Haliza Yanti told Malaysia Decides in Ayer Hitam, a state constituency under Jerlun.

The 32-year-old fence-sitter said she also wanted Kedah to be governed by Pakatan Harapan, which comprises PKR, Bersatu, DAP and Amanah.

“It’s not going to be easy for him because of the three-cornered fight but I really hope he can win here, many young people support him and I don’t mind if he becomes our menteri besar again.”

Mukhriz had led the BN Kedah election machinery in 2013 and became the state’s menteri besar after the ruling party took back the state from the opposition.

He was sacked from BN’s lynchpin party, Umno in 2016 and joined Bersatu, which was founded the same year.

Mukhriz is also contesting the Jitra state seat of 41,267 voters, taking on BN’s Aminuddin Omar who won the constituency by a majority of 3,056 votes.

“I can see his chances of winning here; his track record is only seen by Jerlun people but by the whole of Kedah,” Lim Kai Cheong, 50, said.

PAS member Abdal Bakar,36, meanwhile said it would be difficult for Jerlun voters to decide which candidate to vote for as caretaker deputy finance minister Othman had also served the constituency well.

“Ultimately, you have to look at the party’s leadership and BN is led by Najib who is troubled by corruption scandals.

“The effects are impacting us as a nation. I’m a PAS member but my support is for Mukhriz and PH. The cost of living is too high even for us village folk. I hope Kedah will fall to PH,” he said. – April 29, 2018.