JOHOR BARU: A majority of Barisan Nasional's (BN) candidates for the Johor state election are new faces.
BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said based on his observation, about 70 per cent of the candidates named by the component parties are new faces.
"Most of the candidates also have high academic qualifications and are below 55 in age," said Ahmad Zahid in his speech at a function to announce the candidates.
He said he is confident that the team presented to the Johor voters will be a game changer that will provide a new hope for Johor.
"We looked at several criteria when determining the candidates where we use the WALI concept which is winability, acceptability and likeability.
"I hope the three elements (new faces, academic qualifications and age) would not only become a game changer, but also provide continuity in the efforts to make Johor the main state in Malaysia that would be further developed," said Ahmad Zahid.
He also urged BN members to continue to support the party's 'poster boy' Datuk Hasni Mohammad so that he can be appointed as the menteri besar.
For the state election, Umno would be contesting in 37 seats, MCA in 15 seats and MIC in four seats.
However, MCA would announce its list of candidates later.
Notable names announced by BN are former Batu Pahat member of Parliament Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi who will contest the Rengit seat and former exco member Mutalib Abd Rahim who will contest in Layang-Layang.
Hasni, meanwhile, will defend his Benut seat while Johor Umno secretary Datuk Samsol Bari Jamali will defend his Semarang seat.
Notable names missing were former exco members Ayub Jamil and Zaiton Ismail.
N01 Buloh Kasap - Datuk Zahari Sarip (Umno)
N02 Jementah - (MCA)
N03 Pemanis - Anuar Manap (Umno)
N04 Kemelah - Saraswathy (MIC)
N05 Tenang - Haslinda Salleh (Umno)
N06 Bekok - (MCA)
N07 Bukit Kepong - Ismail Mohamad (Umno)
N08 Bukit Pasir - Mohd Fadzli Mohd Salleh (Umno)
N09 Gambir - Shah Rihan Ghani (Umno)
N10 Tangkak - (MCA)
N11 Serom - Khairin Nisa Ismail (Umno)
N12 Bentayan - (MCA)
N13 Simpang Jeram - Datuk Lokman Md Don (Umno)
N14 Bukit Naning - Datuk Mohd Fuad Tukirin (Umno)
N15 Maharani - Nur Fara Samsudin (Umno)
N16 Sungai Balang - Mohd Helmi Abd Latif (Umno)
N17 Semerah - Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid (Umno)
N18 Sri Medan- Datuk Zulkurnain Kamisan (Umno)
N19 Yong Peng - (MCA)
N20 Semarang - Datuk Samsolbari Jamali (Umno)
N21 Parit Yaani - Datuk Najib Samuri (Umno)
N22 Parit Raja - Nor Rashidah Ramli (Umno)
N23 Penggaram - (MCA)
N24 Senggarang - Mohd Yusla Ismail (Umno)
N25 Rengit - Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi (Umno)
N26 Machap - Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi (Umno)
N27 Layang Layang - Abd Mutalip Abd Rahim (Umno)
N28 Mengkibol - (MCA)
N29 Mahkota - Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain (Umno)
N30 Paloh - (MCA)
N31 Kahang - R. Vidyananthan (MIC)
N32 Endau - Mohd Youzaimi Md Yusof (Umno)
N33 Tenggaroh - K.Raven Kumar (MIC)
N34 Panti - Hahasrin Hashim (Umno)
N35 Pasir Raja - Rashidah Ismail (Umno)
N36 Sedili - Muszaidi Makmor (Umno)
N37 Johor Lama - Norliza Noh (Umno)
N38 Penawar - Fauziah Misri (Umno)
N39 Tanjung Surat - Datuk Syed Sees Abd Rahman (Umno)
N40 Tiram - Azizul Bachok (UMNO)
N41 Puteri Wangsa - (MCA)
N42 Johor Jaya - (MCA)
N43 Permas - Baharuddin Mohd Taib (Umno)
N44 Larkin - Md Hairi Md Shah (Umno)
N45 Stulang - (MCA)
N46 Perling - (MCA)
N47 Kempas - Datuk Ramlee Bohani (Umno)
N48 Skudai - (MCA)
N49 Kota Iskandar - Pandak Ahmad (Umno)
N50 Bukit Permai - Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor (Umno)
N51 Bukit Batu - S. Supayyah (MIC)
N52 Senai - (MCA)
N53 Benut - Datuk Hasni Mohammad (Umno)
N54 Pulai Sebatang - Hasrunizah Hassan (Umno)
N55 Pekan Nanas - (MCA)
N56 Kukup - Datuk Jefridin Atan (Umno)
