PETALING JAYA: Figures show that Bagan Datuk parliamentary constituency is not a safe seat for former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said Mohd Rafizi Ramli, deputy president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

“In the 2008 elections, we lost Bagan Datuk by 2,600 votes. Our candidate was a local person unknown to many. In the 2013 elections, we lost by 2,100 votes. Based on the scenario, we expected Ahmad Zahid to lose in 2018.

“We know that he moved 3,000 new voters to Bagan Datuk parliamentary constituency. That’s why he won by more than 5,000 votes in 2018 elections,” said Rafizi in an interview with Sin Chew Daily.

PKR has planned to topple Zahid as he is the most unpopular personality in the country right ow, said Rafizi, who described the move to field Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, the incumbent member of parliament for Hang Tuah Jaya, to contest against Zahid as a strategy.

Tawfik not a suitable candidate

PKR does not accept the offer of Tawfik Ismail, son of former deputy prime minister Tun Dr. Ismail Abdul Rahman, to fight Ahmad Zahid in Bagan Datuk under Pakatan Harapan.

Rafizi said the rural Malay seat is not suitable for Tawfik.

“If he were a PKR member, I would have told him I respect you and appreciate your guts but you will not win. You will end up accompanying Zahid to run in a race,” he said.

Rafizi said if one had visited Bagan Datuk and was familiar with Tawfik’s background, he should know that Tawfik is not a suitable candidate there.

Tawfik will not be able to connect with the local residents and blend with the community. The locals are not interested in the matters raised by him, Rafizi explained.