KLEBANG: Age is no barrier to delivering results when backed by a sharp mind and the energy needed in frontline politics, said Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Defending Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) decision to field a young candidate in Klebang, the coalition’s secretary-general said Farzana Hayani Mohd Nasir had the qualities needed to earn public trust and serve at grassroots level.
Saifuddin said Farzana, fondly known as Nana, had the focus and intellectual ability to address community concerns.
“Her mind is sharp and active. If elected here, she has both the dedication and the capability to serve as an effective elected representative for the people of Klebang,” he said at a campaign rally here.
He said Farzana’s background in public administration, including her experience serving in the Prime Minister’s Office, gave her practical knowledge of government processes and the ability to expedite constituency needs, from solar street lighting to student welfare.
Farzana faces a four-cornered contest against Barisan Nasional incumbent Datuk Lim Ban Hong (MCA), Perikatan Nasional’s Datuk Seri Mohamad Ali Mohamad (Bersatu) and Bersama’s Young Jie Yu.
“Whether it is writing in for 15 new solar streetlamps because an area is too dark, securing laptop assistance for university students, or repairing amenities at mosques and houses of worship, that is the core job of an elected representative: to champion problems and resolve them swiftly,” he said.
Saifuddin also said elections should serve as a platform for public service, not personal enrichment.
“The country should be wealthy, but elected representatives and ministers must not enter politics to enrich themselves.
“When the nation prospers, that wealth belongs to the people — protecting the welfare of fishermen, small traders, rubber tappers, the vulnerable, and school-goers,” he said.
He also urged Klebang voters to reject divisive rhetoric and racial fearmongering, saying genuine progress should not come at the expense of communal harmony.
“Politics in Melaka must have no room for those who pit communities against each other,” he said.