MELAKA: Former DAP state assemblyman Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee will be going solo to defend his Pengkalan Batu seat in the upcoming Melaka state election on Nov 20.
In an announcement today, Norhizam said he was confident that he could win the seat again despite contesting as an independent candidate this time around.
He is expected to face a multi-cornered fight against Umno, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, DAP, and Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra)
Norhizam was one of the "Melaka four" who revoked their support for the then state administration, thus triggering the upcoming state election.
"If we perform our duties to the people, God willing, we will win and my instinct is telling me that I can win up to 80 per cent of the total votes.
"This is not empty talk. I have a KPI (key performance index) of three years where I always went to the ground," he said during a press conference at Taman Lagenda, Pengkalan Batu, here today.
According to Norhizam, he had received offers from at least four political parties to contest under their banners but decided to enter the battlefield alone instead.
Recently, Perikatan Nasional said it will field Mohd Azrudin Md Idris from Bersatu for the Pengkalan Batu seat while Barisan Nasional will field Datuk Kalsom Nordin from Umno and Pakatan Harapan will field Muhammad Danish Zainudin from DAP.
Commenting on the other candidates, Norhizam expressed confidence that none of them would pose a threat to him.
"Danish is not a local boy. He is like a parachute (candidate) and I don't even know him. Kalsom's groundwork on the other hand is not on the same level as mine because to be a candidate, one must have done the groundwork for at least two years in advance," he said.
The Pengkalan Batu constituency has polling districts of Bachang Baru, Pasir Puteh, Pengkalan Batu, Rumpun Bahagia, Peringgit, Peringgit Jaya, Bukit Palah, Seri Siantan, and Bukit Piatu.