GE14: Dr Mahathir will contest in Langkawi
Sunday, 15 Apr 201811:24 PM MYT
by tarrence tan, arnold loh, and loshana k. shagar
PETALING JAYA: It is confirmed, Pakatan Harapan chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will contest the Langkawi parliamentary seat in GE14.
The announcement was made by PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail during a ceramah in Padang Matsirat at Langkawi, which was attended by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia(Pribumi) president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Pribumi deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir and Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu.
“To the people of Langkawi, I proudly announce that the candidate for Langkawi is Dr Mahathir," she said during the rally at Padang Matsirat on Sunday (April 15).
Speaking at the rally, Dr Mahathir also announced that Mukhriz will contest the Jitra state seat and the Jerlun Parliament seat.
Pribumi's Wan Saiful Wan Jan is also set to contest the Pendang parliamentary seat.
Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah is set to defend the Anak Bukit state seat and contest the Kubang Pasu parliamentary seat.
During Dr Mahathir's tenure as prime minister, he had declared Langkawi as a free port to promote trading and had established the Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) to encourage development in the island.
Dr Mahathir also spent his early years as a medical officer at a hospital here in the 60s and has reminisced about being one of the few people here who had a car then.
Since the constituency was created in 1994, Langkawi has been a Barisan Nasional stronghold, winning with a comfortable majority of about 70%.
Last December, 93-year-old Dr Mahathir hinted that he might contest in either Langkawi, Kubang Pasu, or Putrajaya.
In the 2013 election, Datuk Nawawi Ahmad, the incumbent of the Langkawi seat, won by a majority of 11,861 votes against PKR's Ahmad Abdullah.
In March, Kedah Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashar Md Hanipah said that Nawawi might be replaced by Mohd Rawi Abdul Hamid to contest the Langkawi seat.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/04/15/ge14-dr-mahathir-will-contest-in-langkawi/#dMEoq79OJ8ArLRV7.99
