MELAKA: Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee is set to announce his candidacy for the Pengkalan Batu state seat tomorrow by contesting under the banner of a political party.

       “There are a number of political parties asking me to be their candidate and I will announce it during my press conference on Monday,” he said.

       Asked whether he had also been offered by any party from Pakatan Harapan, he replied: “Wait for Monday.”

       On Thursday, the Pakatan Harapan leadership said they would not field Norhizam as one of its candidates in the Melaka election.

       Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was quoted as saying that Pakatan had listened to views about the four former assemblymen who triggered the collapse of the state government and said that the people’s interests were more important than that of an individual.

       However, Norhizam said only DAP was unhappy about his candidacy.

       “I don’t want to talk much or hit out at anybody for now. I will announce my candidacy within the next 48 hours but I am not contesting as an Independent,” he said.

       Norhizam said Pengkalan Batu was very sentimental to him as he grew up there.

       “I was an Independent assemblyman when I exited the Barisan Nasional/Perikatan Nasional-led state government on Oct 4.

       “No one can claim I betrayed a particular party for the second time,” he said.

       Earlier, Melaka DAP said that it would continue to defend Pengkalan Batu.

       “We have our own candidate for the seat. Our list of potential candidates is waiting for the endorsement of the Pakatan leadership,” its chairman Datuk Tey Kok Kiew said.

       Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said Umno and Barisan Nasional should be prepared to face the election by itself if no other political coalitions were willing to work together.

       “Umno and Barisan must be ready to go solo and strive towards emerging as victor if there is no consensus reached to work with others,” he said during his visit to the state yesterday.