JOHOR BARU: Perikatan Nasional (PN) is confident with its mixed lineup of 56 young and experienced candidates for the Johor state election.
Its chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said all candidates had undergone stringent background checks including by police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Malaysian Insolvency Department.
"PN is fielding 41 new faces for the Johor state election, out of which 19 are under 40 years old, the youngest being aged 31.
"A total of 15 former Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) state assemblymen were retained, including three state executive councillors, namely the state Public Works, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman Mohd Solihan Badri (Gambir), Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Tosrin Jarvanthi (Bukit Permai) and Unity, Trade and Consumer Affairs exco member Dr Chong Fat Full (Tangkak).
"In total, there are 33 Bersatu candidates including associate members, 15 from Pas including one non-Muslim candidate, and eight Gerakan candidates," he told reporters after announcing the PN candidacy lineup.
Muhyiddin said the candidates from PN come from various professional backgrounds, including entrepreneurs, teachers, chartered accountants, medical doctors, dentists, lawyers and lecturers.
He described the lineup as a strong, experienced and qualified team making it easy to form a clean, corruption-free government with integrity.
PN is also fielding former senior journalist and former Home Minister's secretary Zulkifli Bujang, who will be contesting in the hot seat of Larkin.