In Indera Mahkota, a rematch between Saifuddin Abdullah, PAS info chief

PETALING JAYA, April 12 — A rematch of sorts is on the cards for the Pahang parliamentary seat of Indera Mahkota in GE14.

PKR’s Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah has confirmed rumours that he will most probably be contesting the Indera Mahkota seat in GE14, and believes that his time as Temerloh MP will help boost his reputation among voters.

But this means he will face none other than PAS information chief Nasrudin Hassan, for a second time. Saifuddin, who was formerly an Umno deputy minister won the Temerloh parliamentary seat in 2008 but lost to Nasrudin in the last general election.

Nasrudin is the incumbent Temerloh MP. He was named by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang on Tuesday as the party’s candidate to contest the Indera Mahkota parliamentary seat.

“I will probably contest the seat, you can say that. The party’s election centre in Indera Mahkota is already ready,” Saifuddin told Malay Mail when met at the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) headquarters here.

It was previously reported that Saifuddin was among four others who were shortlisted as potential candidates for the seat.

Besides him, others included Semambu assemblyperson Lee Chean Chung, Pahang deputy state PKR chief Nizam Hamid and Pahang PKR chief and incumbent Indera Mahkota MP Datuk Fauzi Abdul Rahman.

According to Saifuddin, the Indera Mahkota parliamentary constituency is a mixed-race seat, with a sizeable number of constituents working as academics in universities and nearby institutions of higher learning.

The Pakatan Harapan chief secretary says he hopes that Indera Mahkota can be turned into a “city of knowledge and culture”, and that there are institutions of higher learning such as the International Islamic University of Malaysia, university colleges and polytechnics.

“When you look at it, a significant people staying in Indera Mahkota are university lecturers, and there are also people who teach in University Malaysia Pahang.

“Many lecturers and instructors stay in Indera Mahkota,” he explained.

Saifuddin believes that these type of voters will find his candidacy appealing, but expects a tough fight ahead not only against PAS, but Barisan Nasional (BN) as well.

“It will most likely be a three-cornered fight,” he said.

In the 13th general election, PKR’s Fauzi won Indera Mahkota with 7,523 votes, beating BN’s Datuk Seri Wan Adnan Wan Mamat and independent candidate G. Ponusamy.