SHAHIDAN Kassim said he is going to contest against Barisan Nasional in the Arau parliamentary seat. 

His announcement came just hours after BN chairman and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that Shahidan had been dropped as a candidate and replaced by his own aide Rozabil Abd. Rahman. 

However, Shahidan said he has yet to decide which party he will contest for. 

“I am a winnable candidate; I will stand for election. I will ask the branches (in Arau) who I should contest for. 

“I will choose a party that is supportive of Muafakat Nasional,” he said, referring to the pact between PAS and Umno, as reported by Utusan Malaysia.

The federal territories minister is among a group of veteran Umno lawmakers dropped by Zahid from contesting in the coming general election. 

This group is made up of ministers in the Ismail Sabri Yaakob cabinet, and have been supporters of the prime minister, and even the previous Perikatan Nasional’s prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin. 

Shahidan, a four-term Arau MP, said he has yet to enter into discussions with political parties. 

“But they are aware of my plight,” he told reporters in Arau. 

Shahidan’s reference to Muafakat Nasional could mean he is angling towards PAS and PN. 

Interestingly, PN also announced its candidates today but left the Arau seat empty.

Shahidan also criticised Zahid for dropping him without giving solid reasons. 

“If his reasons are valid, then he too should not contest,” he said. 

He also hit out at Zahid for bringing in a parachute candidate to contest in Arau. 

Shahidan has been involved in politics for more than 30 years. 

He had been the Arau MP after winning the seat in the 1986, 1990, 2013, and 2018 general elections. In between, he served as Perlis menteri besar from 1995 to 2008. 

He has never been defeated in any general election or state election, even when he faced senior PAS leaders. – November 2, 2022.