BN respects Ismail Muttalib's democratic move - Wan Rosdy

KUALA LIPIS: Maran incumbent MP, Datuk Seri Ismail Abd Muttalib has the right to run on any platform he wants after being dropped from representing Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 15th general election (GE15), said Pahang BN chairman Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.

Describing the decision of the Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government to be a Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate, as a 'democratic move', Wan Rosdy said BN cannot prevent seat holders who are not nominated from contesting on another party's ticket.

"It's up to him (Ismail). We can't stop him because he wasn't nominated (representing BN). If he feels he deserves to defend the seat he once held, we can't do anything because we're a democracy," he told reporters at the Launch and Handover Ceremony Felcra Chicken Farming Project site in Sungai Damak Jeransang here today.

Also present were Deputy Minister of Rural Development Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad and Felcra Berhad chief executive officer Datuk Mat Roni Zakaria.

On Tuesday, BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that the Maran parliamentary seat will be contested by Pahang Unity, Social Welfare, Women and Family Development Committee chairman Datuk Seri Shahaniza Shamsuddin, replacing Ismail who has been the MP there since 2004.

The announcement that Ismail will contest for PN was made by PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang at a ceremony in Marang, Terengganu last night, even though PN had earlier named Fazil Azmi Nadzri from PAS as a candidate for the seat.

Ismail is also expected to hold a press conference with Pahang PN chairman Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah this evening.

GE15 will be held on Nov 19, with the Election Commission (SPR) setting tomorrow as candidate nomination day while Nov 15 is the day for early voting.

Meanwhile, Abdul Rahman said the livestock farms that will be built on a 20-hectare land is expected to produce 250,000 chickens at a time, equivalent to 1.5 million chickens a year.

"I also hope that Felcra's efforts to work on rural mega programmes will have a big impact on the supply of local fresh chicken in addition to increasing job opportunities for Felcra participants and improving the socioeconomic status of the local population," he said.

-- BERNAMA