KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional has named former Chief of Defence Forces General (R) Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor as the direct candidate to contest the upcoming Kemaman by-election.
BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the decision to place a candidate outside of Umno's hierarchy was reached through a consensus among Umno and BN leaders.
He said Raja Affandi's decision to step forward as a BN candidate is seen as a gesture of the support received from the party and given back to the constituents of Kemaman.
"The candidate comes with a distinguished background in the military and is known for his significant contributions beyond the realm of politics.
"We are confident that his candidacy would bring about positive changes as we pledge to address the needs of the people in Kemaman, spanning rural areas, Felda and Felcra areas, Orang Asli settlements, suburban areas, and Chinese communities.
"Despite BN falling short by approximately 27,000 votes in the last parliamentary election, we believe Kemaman remains a winnable seat," he said after announcing the candidate.
Meanwhile, Raja Affandi said he is ready to answer the "call of duty" and give back to the country with the given opportunity.
"I was caught by surprise (by the candidacy). But I would like to express my gratitude to the coalition for choosing me (to contest) in Kemaman.
"I have served for more than 40 years and I thought long that it is high time for me to offer what I have with me back to the people, specifically in Kemaman," he said.
Born on June 20, 1957, in Kampung Raja Besut, Terengganu, Raja Affandi has emerged as a prominent figure in the Malaysian military landscape.
Growing up in Kemaman, he received his primary education and completed his secondary education at Sultan Ismail Secondary School.
His journey in the military began with training as a cadet officer at the Pre-Officer Cadet Training Unit (Pre-OCTU) in the Sekolah Pegawai Kadet, Kem Sebatang Karah, Port Dickson.
Subsequently, he continued his training at the Royal Military College, Sungai Besi, where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Malay Regiment on May 25, 1977.
Husband to Sri Norlida Mubin and father of three daughters and a son, he held various leadership positions within the Malaysian Armed Forces.
In 2008, he was promoted to the rank of Major General, assuming the role of Army Field Commander.
Later, on Oct 31, 2009, he took on the responsibility of Chief of Staff at the Malaysian Armed Forces Headquarters.
Further advancements in his career led to his promotion to the rank of General, and from June 15, 2013, he served as the Army Chief.
On Dec 16, 2016, Raja Affandi was entrusted with the prestigious position of the 19th Chief of Defence Forces.
The Election Commission (EC) has fixed Dec 2 as polling day for the Kemaman parliamentary seat by-election in Terengganu.
The commission also set Nov 18 as nomination day and Nov 28 for early voting.
This is following the Terengganu Election Court's decision to annul Che Alias Hamid's victory in Kemaman in GE15 after judge Datuk Anselm Charles Fernandis said the petitioner, voter Wan Mohamad Hisham Wan Abdul Jalil, succeeded in proving that corruption had taken place intending to influence voters in GE15.