BARISAN Nasional (BN) will give new faces a chance to contest in the upcoming Malacca state elections, the coalition’s chairman, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said today.

He said this will give young people the opportunity to be featured on the big stage.

He also said he is confident that the previous candidates who contested would give others a chance to excel in the political arena.

“Although Umno election director and BN deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and I will hold talks on the possible candidates, I’m confident this time we will choose new and the best candidates,” Zahid said at the launching of BN’s election machinery for the state elections.

“This does not mean the old are bad. They are good… but I’m sure they will give the young people a chance to prove themselves.”

Zahid is confident that component parties MCA and MIC, which will be given seats to contest, will also take the same approach in fielding fresh candidates.

With around 500,000 registered voters in Malacca, this new approach is likely to be a game changer for BN in the elections, he said.

Zahid, who is also Umno president, told supporters that there will be no favouritism in the selection of candidates.

“Do not think that there will be favouritism in the selection of candidates,” he said.

“(I can assure) there are no candidates of Ab Rauf Yusoh’s (former Malacca assembly speaker) choice, there are no candidates of Sulaiman Md Ali’s (caretaker chief minister) choice, there are no candidates of Mohamad Hasan’s choice… or Zahid Hamidi’s or even Ismail Sabri’s.

“Whoever is nominated is BN’s candidate to win this Malacca elections.”

He said although the BN symbol continues to be the choice (of the people), the candidate factor will play an important role in determining the winner.

He said the candidates must possess a nature he called “Wali” (winnable, acceptable, likeable).

They must have the knowledge that can be accepted by all races and religions, he said.

Zahid said BN has also prepared and outlined a manifesto for the people of Malacca.

“I have told the (BN) election committee to let the manifesto be short, but it has to be something close to the heart… something doable,” he added. – October 27, 2021.