Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan will face a straight contest to defend the Rantau state seat in the Negeri Sembilan election.
The former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar will take on Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Azizul Hakim Mahdi in the constituency he has represented for five consecutive terms since first winning it in 2004.
Mohamad, who is also Umno deputy president and foreign minister, submitted his nomination papers at Dewan Seri Rembau accompanied by BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He is among the highest-profile candidates contesting in the Aug 1 state election.
Rantau is a mixed constituency within the Rembau parliamentary seat, which Mohamad also represents in the Dewan Rakyat. Malay voters make up 54.8 per cent of the electorate, followed by Indians at 27.6 per cent and Chinese at 16 per cent.
Mohamad served as Negeri Sembilan menteri besar from 2004 to 2018 and retained the Rantau seat with a 10,280-vote majority in the 2023 state election.
Three-cornered contests in Paroi and Kota
Two other state seats in the Rembau parliamentary constituency, Paroi and Kota, will see three-cornered contests involving candidates from BN, PH and Bersatu.
In Paroi, incumbent Kamarul Ridzuan Zin is seeking a second term after winning the seat in 2023 with a 5,539-vote majority. He will face Ahmad Shahir Shah of PH and Nazree Yunus of Bersatu.
Meanwhile, Kota will feature former assemblyman Suhaimi Aini of BN against PH’s Allif Ibrahim and Bersatu’s Akmal Noradzmi Abd Rahim.
Kota has remained under Umno’s control since the constituency was created in 1959, although Suhaimi secured victory in 2023 by a narrow 135-vote majority.
Straight fight in Chembong
Chembong will see a direct contest between BN’s Zaifulbahri Idris and PH candidate Danish Nazran Murad.
Zaifulbahri has represented the constituency since 2008 and retained the seat in the 2023 election with a 4,335-vote majority.
The Negeri Sembilan state election will be held on Aug 1, with early voting scheduled for July 28.
