INCUMBENT Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin is confident of retaining the parliamentary seat in the general election (GE15) because of her groundwork in the constituency in the past 15 years.

The Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president-designate said she can bank on her branding and service in the seat which she considers her fortress.

“The people here know Zuraida. The Zuraida brand is already here in Ampang,” the former PKR vice-president told The Malaysian Insight.

“The voters of Ampang sees (me) as someone who has served them well and someone who is proven by my work here. They will not take a risk by electing a new candidate.

“New parliamentarians may not be able to serve them as well as I have served them… I believe in my brand.”

Zuraida was elected Ampang MP in 2008. She went on to retain her seat in 2013 and 2018 as a PKR candidate.

In the 2018 general election, Zuraida won the seat by 41,956 votes in a four-way tussle.

She was appointed a minister after Pakatan Harapan’s 2018 election victory.

Zuraida was among the 11 PKR lawmakers who shifted their political allegiance to Bersatu following the Sheraton Move that saw the collapse of Pakatan Harapan after just 22 months in power.

In June, Zuraida joined the newly formed PBM.

Zuraida will stand under the new party’s banner and face eight opponents. They are Rodziah Ismail (Pakatan Harapan), Ivone Low Yi Wen (Barisan Nasional), Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif (PN), Dr Nurul Ashikin Mabahwi (Pejuang), Lai Wai Chong (Warisan) and three Independent candidates – M, Raveendran, Muhammad Shafiq Izwan Mohd Yunos and Tan Hua Meng.

The Malay-majority Ampang constituency has 133,494 voters, who are mainly Malay (56%), Chinese (35%), Indian (7%).

Challenging her challengers

Zuraida said she welcomed competition for the Ampang seat, but reiterated that her track record will work in her favour.

She said the onus is on the other candidates to better her record.

“They have to prove that they can take care of Ampang, serve the people of Ampang. I see them as outsiders who are not from here.  

“These are all important criteria for the people of Ampang. I reside here and have been serving them for 15 years and they are quite comfortable with me.  

“So the other candidates have to try to do better than me,” she said.

Zuraida said it is also important for her to promote her new party logo.

She said this will be one of her main campaign goals.

Government-friendly

Zuraida, who served as a minister in all three governments in the last term, said her party would support the government of the day, including PH if it wins.

“We are a small party contesting only five parliamentary seats.

“So if I win, I will support the government of the day. We are open to working with anyone, even PH,” she said.

She said she would still need a government allocation to serve the people in the constituency.

However, that does not mean that she will be a “yes man”.

“I will be the third force in the government,” she said.

PBM had wanted to join BN but negotations had failed.

The fledgling party will stand alone in the election.

Zuraida said no individual coalition will win enough seats for a majority.

“It will need a pact to form the government. I’m not sure how they’re going to work it.” – November 10, 2022.