PEKAN Umno committee member Mohd Sharim Md Zain will be Barisan Nasional’s candidate for the Chini state by-election, debunking speculation that the rural Pahang seat would see Najib Razak’s son make an electoral debut. 

Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail announced Sharim as the candidate at an event broadcast on former Umno president Najib’s Facebook page.

Najib is also MP and Umno chief of Pekan, which includes Chini among its four state seats.

It was previously speculated that Najib’s son, Mohd Nizar Najib, who is the Pekan Umno Youth chief, would contest.

Sharim, 41, has been active in Felda and Pahang youth councils, Wan Rosdy said today.

The Chini seat fell vacant after assemblyman Abu Bakar Harun died of a heart attack last month.

Abu Bakar won with a 4,622-vote majority against PAS and PKR candidates in the 14th general election in 2018.

The Chini by-election will be held on July 4. Nominations are to be filed this Saturday.

Pakatan Harapan and Bersatu, which is now Barisan Nasional’s ally in the Perikatan Nasional government, have both said they will not contest the by-election.

However, Pekan Bersatu deputy chief Tengku Zainal Hisham Tengku Hussin threw a surprise today when he announced his intention to contest as an independent.

He said he made the decision “taking into account the collaboration of Perikatan Nasional between Bersatu and Umno”. – June 18, 2020.