AYER HITAM: As the longest-serving incumbent in the state polls, Semarang candidate Datuk Samsolbari Jamali is certainly no stranger to the constituency.

       This will be his fifth election since contesting in the state seat in 2004, and he is again banking on his track record of serving his constituents to succeed in his bid.

       “Some of the children I knew 18 years ago are now my voters,” said the 62-year-old.

       He added that while Semarang was a rural seat with many oil palm smallholders, the people wanted good infrastructure including better roads, electricity, water, mosques, community halls, kindergartens and Internet connectivity.

       “I have been doing my best to bridge the gap between the rural and town folk,” he said, adding that his two years of chairing the state executive council of agriculture, agro-based and rural development had enabled him to better provide assistance to his constituents.

       Samsolbari, who is also Johor Umno secretary, stressed that agriculture was close to his heart and hoped to continue in this portfolio should Barisan Nasional return to power in the state.

       Datuk Samsolbari Jamali. -Bernama

       “There is a lot of potential for agriculture in Johor, especially in terms of our food security efforts.

       “Over the last two years, many turned to this sector after losing their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic and are doing well now,” he said, adding that Johor was the top producer of fruits, lowland vegetables and poultry.

       Asked about his three contenders in the election, he noted that this was the first time so many candidates were vying for the seat.

       “All of them are younger than me,” he joked, adding that he was not interested in the margin of victory and would focus instead on retaining the seat for Barisan.

       For Penggaram incumbent Gan Peck Cheng of DAP, this will be her seventh time contesting in the seat since 1995.

       The former Johor state assembly deputy speaker won twice in 2013 and 2018. In 1990, she contested in the Pontian parliamentary seat but lost.

       The 56-year-old, who is also Johor DAP treasurer, said what kept her going through the years was the realisation that transformation was “a long process”.

       Since Johor would be the first election to adopt Undi18, Gan said almost all seats were seeing an increase of about 30% new voters.

       “We are not certain about the support of the young voters and those aged above 21 who are first-time voters.

       “Some of them are not even aware that they’ve automatically become eligible voters,” she added.