KUANTAN, Nov 2 — Pahang Barisan Nasional (BN) is featuring 25 new faces as its candidates to contest for the state seats in the 15th General Election (GE15), which is described as a step towards getting fresh and new ideas.

Pahang BN chairman Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said 30 per cent of its candidates are youths under the age of 45, of whom 15 would be contesting for state seats and two for parliamentary seats.

Eight women candidates had also been entrusted to represent BN in Perak this time around, he said.

"I’m confident that this is the best line-up capable of bringing stability, prosperity and wellbeing to Pahang. So, I call on all quarters to give them a chance and all the support they may need.

"Let’s not feel bad, or sulk or boycott our effort. Let’s not be sheep in wolf’s clothing in giving our support as it is not our culture in Pahang,” he said when announcing the names of the candidates here today.

Also present was caretaker prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob who will be defending his Bera parliamentary seat.

Overall, Wan Rosdy said Umno will be contesting 34 state seats in Pahang, while MCA will contest six.

In the GE14, BN won 25 of the 42 state seats, while Pakatan Harapan (PH) secured nine, and PAS had the remaining eight.

For parliamentary seats, BN won nine and PH secured five but lost one after Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah joined Bersatu in 2020.

In his speech, Wan Rosdy also said that the general election was very important as it is the starting point to put the country back on the right track by returning the mandate to the people.

"We don’t want the next five years to be filled with another long episode of political drama. The people are sick and tired and our country is also lagging behind (due to political crisis),” he said.

He also reminded all candidates to go all out to win the hearts of the voters in the GE15 and to give their level best to serve the party and the people. — Bernama