Top leaders get to contest

KUALA LUMPUR: By the time nomination for the 14th general election closed at 10am today, the country's top political leaders had submitted their papers to contest the election.
The Barisan Nasional leaders were led by BN chairman and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak who is defending the Pekan parliamentary seat he has held since 1976.
Deputy BN chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi filed the nomination papers to defend the Bagan Datuk parliamentary seat where he had been the MP since 1995.
BN component party leaders are also defending their respective seats, namely MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai (Bentong parliamentary); MIC president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam (Segamat parliamentary) and Gerakan president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong (Teluk Intan parliamentary).
In Sabah and Sarawak, UPKO president Datuk Seri Madius Tangau is defending the Tuaran parliamentary seat, PBS president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan is defending the Tambunan state seat and PDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing is defending the Bintulu parliamentary seat.
Opposition PPBM chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is contesting the Langkawi parliamentary seat, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is contesting the Pandan parliamentary seat, PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali is defending the Gombak parliamentary seat and the Bukit Antarabangsa state seat and PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar is contesting the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat.
DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang is bidding to keep his Iskandar Puteri (Gelang Patah) parliamentary seat and PPBM president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is set on a similar mission for the Pagoh parliamentary seat while Amanah president Mohamad Sabu is trying his luck for the Kota Raja parliamentary seat.
In the PAS camp, president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang also wants to retain his Marang parliamentary seat while PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin is making a bid for the Arau parliamentary seat.
Local celebrity Azwan Ali is trying to steal the thunder from his brother Azmin for the Bukit Antarabangsa state seat.
Meanwhile, PPBM vice-president Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, who is a former Election Commission chairman, is contesting in the Kota Lama state constituency in Kelantan. — Bernama