KEPALA BATAS, July 31 — Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Bertam seat Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican has pledged to use his experience as a former minister to bring "balanced” development if elected in the state elections on August 12.

Reezal Merican, who was housing and local government minister (2021-2022) and youth and sports minister (2020-2021), said he would be in a better position to bring changes if the state government was in line with the federal government.

"Just imagine if I am elected, together with the Penang state government; I’m already known in the federal government as a (former) minister with two ministries. Many ministry secretaries-general know me.

"I don’t mean to boast but this means I am in a good position to bring changes here. We cannot indulge in rhetoric but the reality is whether that will be achievable or not,” he told Bernama in an exclusive interview here.

The Umno supreme council member is thankful for having brought development to Kepala Batas by continuing with the legacy of former Kepala Batas MP and former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is fondly called Pak Lah.

Reezal Merican said Kepala Batas, which covers the Bertam, Pinang Tunggal and Penaga state seats, had seen rapid development, with facilities like Kepala Batas Health Clinic; Hospital Kepala Batas; Seberang Perai Utara district police headquarters; and the Fire and Rescue Department Northern Region Air Base in Bertam.

It also boasts a number of educational institutions, including 44 schools; Maktab Rendah Sains MARA (MRSM) Ulul Albab; Penang branch Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM); Kepala Batas Training Institute; Kepala Batas Community College and Penang GiatMara Centre.

The Bertam-born Reezal Merican said the RM45 million Kepala Batas Youth Centre (KBYC) in the Bertam constituency, scheduled for completion in two years, was part of his efforts to make it a one-stop centre for youth activities in the state.

He said the 10.12-hectare centre will be equipped with international standard sports facilities such as a football field and synthetic tracks, making it a sports hub for the northern region and boosting youth participation in sports.

Reezal Merican, who was Kepala Batas MP for 10 years, promised to ensure that the constituency, which has 84,190 voters, would continue to enjoy balanced development without changing the image of Kepala Batas as a place which has produced many ulama.

"I want to maintain the originality of Kepala Batas as a Malay belt. I do not want to see development of this area resulting in its dilution (as Malay settlement). This is not to deny the presence of other races, just that I want to maintain harmony.

"The Malays will stay and at the same time the Chinese and Indians feel peaceful and calm because they have close ties. Their places of worship are given protection,” said the protege of Pak Lah.

Reezal Merican, who turned 51 last Saturday, said he has always practised the "colour blind” principle of not discriminating against anyone when discharging his duties, as taught by Pak Lah.

He admitted to being sad for failing to retain the Kepala Batas parliamentary seat in the 15th general election (GE15) as it felt like letting down Pak Lah because it was BN’s first defeat in the seat since 1974.

He promised to make amends by winning in the state polls and helping to revive BN.

"Until the last drop I will fight to regain back Bertam to the BN fold and now to the unity government fold for the sake of stability and making Penang Madani,” he said.

In the state polls, Reezal Merican is involved in a straight fight for the Bertam seat with Perikatan Nasional’s Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq, the former assemblyman there. — Bernama