KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 — Barisan Nasional (BN) has reportedly announced that Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s eldest son, Datuk Mohd Nizar Najib, has been appointed to contest the Peramu Jaya state seat in Pahang under the coalition’s banner.

The Star quoted Nizar as saying that he would do his best to continue the legacy of his now-incarcerated father Najib, and his family.

"The people also want to see development and what kind of service that we can provide to the local community,” he reportedly said when commenting on his Peramu Jaya candidacy.

"We cannot just hope for sympathy votes,” he reportedly added.

Nizar had earlier been expected to take over the parliamentary seat of Pekan, which has been won by his family members in almost every general election since Malaysia’s independence from British rule.

However, when BN announced its Parliamentary candidates yesterday, incumbent Peramu Jaya assemblyman Datuk Seri Sheikh Mohamed Puzi Ali was named as their candidate for Pekan.

Former prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein — Najib’s father — first won the Pekan seat in the 1959 general election, and retained it until his death in 1976.

Najib then took the reins for the seat, and except for a gap in 1982 to 1986 when he was appointed as Pahang mentri besar, he maintained control of the constituency until the last general election.

However, Najib has since been imprisoned after being found guilty of corruption by the Federal Court in relation to his dealings with SRC International Sdn Bhd.