PETALING JAYA, Oct 26 — PKR announced seven high-profile new party members as its candidates for the coming general election (GE15).

When making the announcement today, PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said people no longer consider just the party when deciding who to vote for, but also the candidates based on their backgrounds, skills and expertise.

The group of seven is led by former senior civil servant Datuk Zainal Azman Abu Seman, who served as Perak state secretary and secretary-general of the Agriculture Ministry.

Of note too is Nik Omar Nik Aziz, who contested the Chempaka state seat in Kelantan in 2018 on a Parti Amanah Negara ticket.

Nik Omar is the son of former PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and served as the chief for missionary foundation Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Yadim) during the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration.

Both men, Anwar said, will run for election in Perak.

Among the other names announced today are former Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) and Ikram Malaysia deputy president Datuk Hassan Basri Awang Mat Dahan; and senior lecturer in the Parasitology Department of the Medical Faculty at Universiti Malaya Dr Noraishah Mydin Abdul Aziz.

They will be fielded in Pahang and the Federal Territories respectively.

Meanwhile, former Lembaga Zakat Selangor CEO Saipulyazan Yusop is set to be a candidate in Selangor, while former Malaysian Youth Council president Jufitri Joha is likely bound for Negri Sembilan.

Completing the list is 28-year-old Fathin Amelia Fazlie, who is currently a PhD candidate at Universiti Malaya. She will stand for election in Perlis.

Anwar said the exact parliamentary or state assembly seat where the candidates will be fielded will be announced on October 28.

Meanwhile, deputy president Rafizi Ramli said PKR could not rely on putting forward politicians as candidates anymore as voters have grown cynical about politicians following multiple political crisis in the country.

“Public cynicism towards the politicians is why increasingly you see more and more voters who feel they can no longer rely on political parties.

“I think it will be hard to combat the cynicism if any party chooses to rely on just career politicians, without activists and academics,” he said.