MOHD Isa Abdul Samad pronounced himself a defending champion as he cast his ballot at the SK Linggi polling station for the Port Dickson by-election today.

The former Negri Sembilan menteri besar based his assertion on his nine previous electoral wins, and that he is the only candidate in the Port Dickson by-election among the seven candidates who is a registered voter in the constituency.

“My record is good. I have won nine times. You can say I am a defending champion,” he said after voting.

He was accompanied by his children and is using the chair as his symbol on the ballot paper.

Isa, 68, represented Bagan Pinang from 2009 to 2013. Before that, he was the Linggi representative from 1978 to 2004.

He was menteri besar of the state from 1982 to 2004.

Isa said he felt “exhilarated” about voting, as usually he would cast his vote for others.

“Today I am able to vote for myself,” he noted with a smile.

He admitted he was banking on local sentiment and his past record in the hope of tilting the race in his favour.

Among the six challengers to Anwar Ibrahim’s bid to return to Parliament, independent pollster Ilham Centre said Isa posed the most the credible threat to that goal.

“He evidently still commands influence in the state seats of Bagan Pinang and Linggi,” said Ilham Centre executive director Mohd Azlan Zainal of Isa’s home ground advantage. – October 13, 2018.