PENANG - Campaigning for elections in six Malaysian states officially kicked off on Saturday, eight months after the general election that saw Pakatan Harapan (PH) joining hands with old foe Barisan Nasional (BN) for the first time to form the federal government.

The PH-BN alliance is facing off against federal opposition pact Perikatan Nasional (PN).

A total of 570 candidates are vying for 245 state seats in Kedah, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. More than 9.7 million Malaysians are eligible to vote for their respective representatives on Aug 12.  

Here are some of the hot seats to watch.

Selangor

Sungai Tua 

Candidates: Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari (PH), Mr Hanif Jamaluddin (PN) and Mr Suman Gopal (Independent).

Gombak Setia

Candidates: Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin (BN), Mr Muhammad Hilman Idham (PN) and Mr Mohd Salim Mohd Ali (Independent).

Hulu Kelang

Candidates: Datuk Seri Azmin Ali (PN) and Ms Juwairiya Zulkifli (PH).

The stakes are high in the three seats that are seen as the bellwether for how Selangor might swing. 

All three seats come under the Gombak federal ward, currently held by caretaker Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin, who is also the Selangor PH chief. He is defending the Sungai Tua seat for the second time. 

Mr Azmin’s candidacy at Hulu Kelang marks his return to the seat that he previously won in 1999. The Selangor PN chief, who is Mr Amirudin’s predecessor as chief minister, will clash with former aide Juwairiya, who is now political secretary to Mr Amirudin.

Meanwhile, Gombak Setia incumbent Mr Hilman will seek to defend his seat against Umno state chief Megat Zulkarnain and independent candidate Mr Salim.

To underscore the importance of this trio of seats, both PH and PN dispatched their top leaders to accompany their respective candidates to the nominations centres on Saturday.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor and Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Tun Openg were present to support the PH-BN candidates, while PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin, who is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president, accompanied the PN candidates.

Penang 

Bayan Lepas 

Candidates: Datuk Dominic Lau Hoe Chai (PN) and Mr Azrul Mahathir Aziz (PH).

There was backlash from PN member Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) when Mr Lau was named as the candidate for the seat, which was traditionally contested by the Islamist party. PAS has accused Mr Lau, who is the president of multiracial party Gerakan, of pulling strings with the top PN leadership to get the seat and had vowed not to help with his campaigning. 

Mr Lau’s chances appeared dim when no PN leaders showed up at a dinner he organised on the eve of nomination. PAS supporters were also conspicuously missing at Saturday’s nomination, although he insisted they were present. 

Bertam 

Candidates: Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican (BN) and Mr Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq (PN).

Former Cabinet minister Reezal is leading Umno’s charge against PN in Penang. He faces off against Mr Khaliq, who is the incumbent assemblyman.

While Mr Reezal is optimistic about his chances in the Malay-majority seat, his victory could be an indication of how the BN-PH alliance could stop PN making inroads into the state. Crucially, sources say his victory could help his ascension to one of the two state deputy chief minister posts.

Negeri Sembilan

Juasseh 

Candidates: Puan Sri Bibi Sharliza Mohd Khalid (BN) and Datuk Eddin Syazlee Shith (PN).

While she has been away from active politics for over 15 years, Ms Bibi, the Umno Negeri Sembilan women’s wing chief, is not a political greenhorn. She recently said her husband’s - former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Isa Samad - ongoing corruption case will have no bearing on her campaigning. She warned detractors not to resort to “personal attacks”.

PN has no elected representatives in Negeri Sembilan, but it hopes to establish a foothold in the southern state by fielding Mr Eddin, a former deputy minister.