IPOH, November 3 — PKR will field Datuk Zainal Azman Abu Seman, one of the party’s high-profile candidates, in the Kuala Sepetang state seat allocated to the Pakatan Harapan component for the 15th general election.

Perak PKR chairman Chang Lih Kang announced Zainal Azman along with the rest of the party’s candidates for state seats here.

Last week, PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim introduced Zainal Azman, a former Public Service Department deputy director-general and former Perak state secretary, as one of seven "high-profile” candidates who would be fielded in GE15.

"We will be contesting 21 state seats for this election. We have 17 candidates who are new faces and 11 candidates who are aged below 40,” Chang told a press conference after unveiling the Perak PKR candidacy at Travelodge Hotel here.

"We have also five women candidates contesting the state seats.”

Chang also said incumbent assemblyman Muhamad Arafat Varisai Mahamad (Hulu Kinta) and Sandrea Ng Shy Ching (Teja) will both defend their respective seats.

He added that Wong Chai Yi will replace incumbent Tan Kar Ying for the Simpang Pulai state seat as the latter will contest the Gopeng federal seat.

As for Kuala Kurau that was won by Datuk Abdul Yunus Jamahri before he defected to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), Chang said this will be contested by Anuar Ahmad.

The others candidates announced today include Mohd Jamean Zulkifli (Kenering) who is the youngest at 28, Ahmad Safwan Mohamad (Temengor), Muhamad Aiman Azizuddi Md Husin (Batu Kurau), Khairul Azman Ahmad (Alor Pongsu), Junaida Jamaluddin (Trong), Mohd Khairol Irwan Mat Khairi (Chenderoh) and Zaim Sidqi Zulkifly (Lintang).

Also in the list were Mohamad Khairul Amir Sabri (Bukit Chandan), Abul Jais Ashfaq Ahmed (Pengkalan Baru), Usaili Alias (Bota) Mohd Azlan Helmi Helmi (Tualang Sekah), Atyrah Hanim Razali (Chenderiang), Mohamad Maharani Md Tasi (Sungai Manik), Abdul Razak Nazri (Pangkor), S. Wasanthee (Hutan Melintang) and Mohd Syahid Mohd Zainu (Slim).