PETALING JAYA, June 28 — The Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) today began accepting public applications to be its candidates in the six state elections it will contest independently, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said.

The Muda president said his party was seeking individuals who represented ordinary Malaysians.

"We want this to be people’s candidates. Muda will democratise the candidate selection process and our goal is to be able to highlight the people’s candidates,” he said at a news conference here today.

The Muar MP said that the applications were open to all, regardless of age or occupation, and applicants also need not be existing Muda members.

Muda information chief Luqman Long added that they had formed a selection committee to find potential candidates for the elections.

Candidates would be selected based on their ability to identify current issues and offer possible solutions, as well as their potential to be effective representatives to their constituents for policy-making.

He also said Muda was aiming for at least half of its candidates to be women.

"I understand this is not an easy task, this requires joint efforts from the leadership level and the level of young members but I want it if we can offer the best for the people,” he said.

Earlier this week, Syed Saddiq announced that his party would independently contest in the elections for Kedah, Kelantan, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, and Terengganu.

Muda applied to join the PH coalition before last year’s general election but has yet to be accepted as a formal member.

PH secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said in March that he had been "too busy” to evaluate Muda’s application letter.