KUALA LUMPUR: Former Gombak Setia state assemblyman Hilman Idham is confident in defending his seat in the constituency.
The former Perikatan Nasional Youth information chief said it was a non-issue for him to go against Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin, who is a candidate fielded by the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional pact as he had won against the latter during the last election.
"This is not the first time that I am going against Megat as he also contested the same seat during the 2018 election.
"However, I will make sure that this time around extra measures will be taken to understand the problems faced by the constituents, including their welfare which need certain expertise to resolve them," he said when met by reporters after the nomination announcement for the Gombak Setia state seat in SMK Sungai Pusu, earlier.
Hilman is in a three-cornered fight, going against Megat who is also the Umno Selangor liaison chief and independent candidate Mohamed Salim Mohamed Ali.
In the 2018 election, he won the seat which he contested under the PKR banner.
The former political secretary to Datuk Seri Azmin Ali secured victory with 12,399 majority votes and defeated Megat who gained 11,113 votes and Pas' Hasbullah who received 11,758.
Hilman, who was also the former PKR Youth deputy chief was expelled from the party in 2020, after he broke the wing's rules by calling Azmin, who was then the party's deputy president to officiate the wing's congress without getting the leadership approval.
Meanwhile, Hilman added that his campaign manifesto, which will be announced in the nearest time, would include maintaining the modernity and traditional elements of the constituency.
"The area is divided into two parts; namely residential area and a traditional Malay village. Hence, we must ensure that there is a balance between the two areas, aside from ensuring the wellbeing of the people are protected."
