SETIAWANGSA is not a safe parliamentary seat, as many parties are eyeing the constituency for the next general election, said its current MP, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad of PKR.

“The Setiawangsa parliamentary seat was a BN stronghold before I won it in 2018.

“With that in mind, I know that Setiawangsa is not a safe seat for anyone,” he told The Malaysian Insight in an interview today.

The Setiawangsa constituency was formed in 2004 by cleaving Wangsa Maju, and has been Barisan Nasional’s seat until the 14th general election.

In the 2018 election, Nik Nazmi handsomely won a three-cornered fight against BN’s Zulhasnan Rafique and PAS’ Ubaid Abd Akla.

The PKR chief organising secretary said Setiawangsa was a very diverse constituency  with poor, middle- and upper-class population.

He said there was also an army camp and police training centre (Pulapol) under the constituency, which makes it a challenging seat.

Nik Nazmi said Umno and Bersatu have started their ground work there.

“There is an army camp and a police training centre too, where there would be early votes.

“Also, we have the poor Malays, Indians and Chinese in the constituency, and also there are the middle- and upper-class in the Bukit Setiawangsa area.

“I see Umno and Bersatu doing their ground work already but I’m not going to take it easy.

“For the last election, I was only confirmed as a candidate one month before but I began my work in the constituency three years before that.

“So, if we work hard and maintain what we have done so far, God willing, it will remain a PKR seat,” Nik Nazmi said.

Nik Nazmi said his party recently distributed forms to potential and existing candidates to submit their preferred constituency.

“I’m not demanding. I’m more of a party person.

“So, I will contest in the seat that the party asks me to, but I’ve declared my interest to defend Setiawangsa.

 “So, I only sent one form, which is for the Setiawangsa seat,” he said.

Nik Nazmi said he has no ambition to contest an state seat in the next election.

Prior to contesting Setiawangsa seat in 2018, Nik Nazmi was a two-term state rep for Seri Setia in Selangor. – March 17, 2021.