Battle lines drawn up in Selangor ahead of polls

Fierce clashes are expected in a number of constituencies in Selangor, even as the dust settles on the announcement of candidates by the country's three major political coalitions ahead of the race for a total of 56 seats in the state legislative assembly. 

Pakatan Harapan (PH), which forms the current state government, won 51 seats at the 14th general election in 2018. 

It is now working with Barisan Nasional (BN), its partner at the federal level since the 15th general election last year. 

PH component PKR is fielding 20 candidates while DAP is fielding 15 and Amanah nine. The remaining 12 seats will be contested by BN. 

In Selangor, the status quo is widely expected for seats with non-Malay majorities.

In Malay-majority constituencies, however, the spotlight will be on the battle between BN candidates and those from federal opposition pact Perikatan Nasional (BN).

Areas such as Sungai Tua, Hulu Klang and Gombak Setia in the east of Selangor will witness clashes involving prominent personalities such as Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari and his predecessor Mohamed Azmin Ali. 

Amirudin will face PN's Muhammad Hanif Jamaluddin while Azmin is up against Amirudin's political secretary Juwairiya Zulkifli, the incumbent for the Bukit Melawati seat. 

Selangor Umno chairman Megat Zulkarnain Omardin meanwhile will run against PN incumbent Hilman Idham in Gombak Setia.  

Further north, PH and BN seats are also in the spotlight following BN's defeat in Tanjung Karang where the incumbent, former Selangor Umno boss Noh Omar, was not re-nominated. 

In Permatang, his daughter Nurul Syazwani Noh Omar, representing PN, will face Mohd Yahya Mat Sahri of PKR.

In Kuala Kubu Bharu meanwhile, Muda candidate Siva Prakash Ramasamy will run against the incumbent from DAP, Lee Kee Hiong – a scenario which might see a split in the non-Malay vote against the candidate from PN, Teoh Kien Hiong.

And in Dusun Tua, a seat held by DAP's Edry Faizal Eddy Yusof, BN candidate Johan Abd Aziz will contest instead against Azhar Hambali of PN and Muda's Al Hafiz Ikhwan Mohamad Asaad.

Within the Shah Alam parliamentary constituency, battle lines are being drawn up in Batu Tiga among PN women's chief Rina Harun, Amanah's Danial Al Rashid and Syaidiyah Izzati Nur Razak Maideen from Muda. 

In Kota Anggerik, meanwhile, PKR incumbent Najwan Halimi who was recently embroiled in controversy over remarks on the Indian community, will face off against PN's Mohamed Sukri Omar and Azad Akbar of Muda. 

Down south in Sijangkang, a seat within the parliamentary constituency of Kuala Langat, PN's Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi will clash with Mohd Al-Hafizi Abu Bakar of BN.

And in Dengkil, Sepang, which has a large concentration of civil servants, BN's Noorazli Said will run against PN's Jamil Saleh, the secretary-general of the domestic trade and consumer affairs ministry.