'New and improved' BN battles for Selangor

The Barisan Nasional (BN) battle to wrest Selangor from Pakatan Rakyat will be fronted by a force formed by a majority of new faces.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, in announcing the BN candidates for Selangor today, revealed that 80% of the line-up are first-timers.

The move is seen as an effort to meet the rakyat's demands of a "new and improved BN."

"This is the way to return Selangor to BN and to form a stronger state government here," Najib told a packed press conference.

Among the new faces are:
>> Perkasa vice-president Zulkifli Noordin (Shah Alam);
>> Deputy Foreign Minister Kohillan Pillay (Puchong);
>> Teratai Gerakan Public Complaints Bureau chief Ben Liew Pok Boon (Teratai);
>> Subang MIC co-ordinator Prakash Rao Applanaidoo (Subang);
>> MIC Central Working Committee member A Sakthivel;
>> BN Pandan Youth central working committee member Muhammad Faizal Sufar, 33, who is among the youngest candidates in Selangor (Chempaka); and
>> Tengku Rethwan Tengku Masor, who is Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Mansor's brother (Seri Setia).

However, there was a notable lack of women candidates, with only seven named out of 22 parliamentary seats and 57 state seats.

The women candidates are: Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Noriah Kasnon (Sungai Besar), Selangor MCA Beliawanis chief Jessie Ooi (Kuala Kubu Baru), Ketua Wanita UMNO Ampang Rozaidah Talib (Ampang), lawyer Adzhaliza Mohd Nor (Hulu Langat), social entrepreneur Chew Hoong Ling (Petaling Jaya Utara), Halimaton Saadiah Bohan (Kota Damansara) and Lee Siew Chee (Sungai Pinang).

Najib, who is also Selangor BN chief, added that BN is ready not only to contest, but to regain the trust of the people of Selangor.

"We have been operating as the Opposition in Selangor for five years and we have learned a lot," he said.