KUALA LUMPUR – Incumbent Hulu Kelang assemblyman Saari Sungib is unhappy that Amanah dropped his daughter Anfaal as a candidate for the Selangor seat at the eleventh hour.
He also claimed party president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu assured him that Anfaal would be fielded for the Hulu Kelang seat.
“When the Amanah president came to visit Hulu Kelang on July 19 to meet the party machinery, we thought he was ready to announce the Amanah candidates.
“But it wasn’t until 11.15pm that he said he wished to only announce the names on July22, and he assured me that Anfaal was the right person (to contest) for Hulu Kelang,” he told Scoop.
However, seeing that the three-term representative is not seeking re-election, he said he would let the matter rest with the party as he “would no longer have a stake in the election”.
Saari recently said he would sit out the Selangor polls as he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Anfaal, who is also Wanita Amanah deputy chief, was named to contest for Taman Templer.
“When he announced (on Sunday) that PKR’s Juwairiya Zulkifli would be contesting for Hulu Kelang, it came as a surprise to all (party members).
“They then decided that Anfaal should run for Taman Templer.
“I think Anfaal would have been the right candidate (for Hulu Kelang) because she has done the groundwork with various layers of society, including the Wanita and Puteri Umno as well as the assemblymen and state leaders in Umno and BN (Barisan Nasional),” said Saari, who is Selangor Amanah deputy chief.
Saari has been the Hulu Kelang assemblyman since he won the seat at the 12th general election in 2008 as a PAS member.
He left the party in 2015 to form Amanah. – July 26, 2023