GE14: 21 Female Candidates Who Are Standing In Parliamentary Seats For The First Time
Some of these newcomers will be contesting against veterans who have held their respective seats for years.
Political parties in Malaysia have fielded more women candidates in the 14th General Election (GE14)
According to Bernama, a total of 251 women have been nominated to contest in a parliamentary or a state seat this general election.
It was reported that these candidates hold important positions within the party they represent, and they come from various backgrounds with different academic qualifications.
1. Datuk Shahanim Yusof (BN-UMNO) - P015 Sungai Petani
Datuk Shahanim, who was sworn in as senator in 2014, is the Sungai Petani UMNO Deputy Head Division.
She will be facing Datuk Johari Abdul (PKR), Shahril Long (PAS), and P. Sritaren (PRM) in a four-cornered fight.
2. Siti Mastura Muhammad (PAS) - P041 Kepala Batas
Hailing from Permatang Tinggi 'C', Siti Mastura Muhammad is the Deputy Head of Penang PAS Muslimat Hall.
She will face Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican (BN-UMNO) and Zaidi Zakaria (PKR-Amanah).
3. Rohaya Bakar (PAS) - P058 Bagan Serai
Born and raised in Selinsing, Bagan Serai, Rohaya Bakar is the Deputy Head of Perak PAS Muslimat Hall.
She will be facing Adam Asmuni (PKR-PPBM) and incumbent Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali (BN-UMNO), who won the last election with a majority of 1,140 votes.
4. Maria Chin Abdullah (PKR) - P105 Petaling Jaya
Former Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah announced in March that she would quit the election reform body to contest in GE14 for the Petaling Jaya parliamentary seat under the PKR banner.
She will be facing fellow newcomers Chew Hian Tat (BN-MCA) and Noraini Hussin (PAS).
5. Noraini Hussin (PAS) - P105 Petaling Jaya
Noraini Hussin is the Head of Penang Kapar Muslimat Hall and the chairperson of Badan Kebajikan Wanita Islam Selangor (BAKEWANIS).
She will face Chew Hian Tat (BN-MCA) and Maria Chin Abdullah (PKR).
6. Datuk Mohana Muniandy Raman (BN-MIC) - P109 Kapar
Datuk Mohana Muniandy Raman, who was elected as Wanita MIC chief in 2013, will stand in the Kapar parliamentary seat.
She will face Dr Abdul Rani Osman (PAS), Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid (PKR), and Manikavasagam Sundaram (PRM) in the four-cornered fight.
7. Hannah Yeoh (PKR-DAP) - P117 Segambut
Hannah Yeoh, the former Subang Jaya state assemblywoman, is contesting in a federal seat for the first time as she replaces incumbent Lim Lip Eng.
Hannah Yeoh will be facing Datuk Loga Bala Mohan (BN-MyPPP) and Mohd Solleh Abd Razak (PAS).
8. Rina Mohd Harun (PKR) - P119 Titiwangsa
Born in Tanjung Karang and raised in Titiwangsa, Rina Mohd Harun is a former Puteri UMNO executive councillor who was appointed as the Wanita Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chief in April 2017.
She will be contesting against Mohamad Noor Mohamad (PAS) and incumbent Datuk Seri Johari Ghani (BN-UMNO), who won the last election with a majority of 866 votes.
9. Ann Tan Ean Ean (BN-MCA) - P120 Bukit Bintang
Bukit Bintang MCA Wanita chief Ann Tan Ean Ean is among the new faces introduced by Federal Territories Barisan Nasional (BN) for GE14.
She will face Khairul Husni Othman (PFP) and incumbent Fong Kui Lun (PKR-DAP), who has held the seat since 1999.
10. Chan Quin Er (BN-MCA) - P122 Seputeh
Longtime member and Seputeh MCA division assistant secretary Chan Quin Er is a professional candidate that is contesting in the Seputeh parliamentary seat.
She will face four-term incumbent Teresa Kok (PKR-DAP).
11. Heng Sinn Yee (BN-MCA) - P123 Cheras
Cheras Wanita MCA chief Heng Sinn Yee, who has been a member of the party for the last 12 years, first expressed her wishes to contest as people’s representative two years ago to her husband Datuk Dr Toh Kian Kok, who is also Cheras MCA secretary.
She will face five-term incumbent Tan Kok Wai (PKR-DAP).
12. Yeo Bee Yin (PKR-DAP) - P145 Bakri
Johor native Yeo Bee Yin is the the candidate for the Bakri parliamentary seat, replacing two-term incumbent Er Teck Hwa.
The former Damansara Utama state assemblywoman, who won the seat with the country's highest majority of more than 30,000 majority votes in the last election, will be going up against Koh Chon Chai (BN-MCA) and Mohamad Zahrul Salleh (PAS).
13. Anis Afida Mohd Azli (PKR-Amanah) - P147 Parit Sulong
Anis Afida Mohd Azli, Amanah women's wing chief, is contesting in the Parit Sulong parliamentary seat, having contested as a PAS candidate in the DUN Penawar state seat in the last election.
She will be facing Ahmad Rosdi Bahari (PAS) and incumbent Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad (BN-UMNO), who won in the last election with a majority of 11,753 votes.
14. Wong Shu Qi (PKR-DAP) - P152 Kluang
Former Senai assemblywoman Wong Shu Qi is the candidate for the Kluang parliamentary seat. She replaces incumbent Liew Chin Tong, who is contesting in Ayer Hitam constituency.
The Johor DAP publicity secretary will be contesting against Gan Ping Siew (BN-MCA) and Muhammad Hasbullah Md Najib (PAS).
15. Chrisnadia Sinam (PKR) - P170 Tuaran
Chrisnadia Sinam was working as a Public Works Department (Jabatan Kerja Raya) engineer previously.
She will be facing a five-cornered fight for the Tuaran parliamentary seat, contesting against Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau (BN-UPKO), Syra Peter (Harapan Rakyat), Datuk Kalakau Untol (PCS), and Mohd Aminuddin Aling (PAS).
16. Noor Hayaty Mustapha (Warisan) - P178 Sipitang
Noor Hayaty Mustapha from Parti Warisan Sabah is an engineer.
She will be facing Yamani Hafez Musa (BN-UMNO), Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman's son, and Dayang Aezzy Liman (Harapan Rakyat) in the Sipitang parliamentary seat.
17. Dayang Aezzy Liman (Harapan Rakyat) - P178 Sipitang
Dayang Aezzy Liman, Parti Harapan Sabah Young Woman's Chief Dayang Aezzy, is a lawyer who graduated from International Islamic University of Malaysia (UIA).
She will be facing Yamani Hafez Musa (BN-UMNO) and Noor Hayaty Mustapha (Warisan).
18. Siti Shazianti Ajak (Harapan Rakyat) - P188 Silam
At the age of 28 years , Siti Shazianti Ajak is among the youngest parliamentary female candidates in GE14.
She will face a four-cornered fight as she will be contesting against Datuk Datu Nasrun Datu Mansur (BN-UMNO), Mohammadin Ketapi (Warisan), and Ramli Pataruddin (PAS).
19. Kho Teck Wan (BN-SUPP) - P195 Kuching
Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) Wanita Chief Kho Teck Wan, who returned to Malaysia in 2011 after working in the US for a decade, has been fielded by BN to wrest the seat being held by DAP for the last three terms.
She will be facing Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen (PKR-DAP), who is also contesting in a parliamentary seat for the first time.
20. Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib (BN-PBB) - P213 Mukah
The youngest daughter of Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud, Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib is one of the 12 Sarawak BN's new faces in GE14.
She will be facing Abdul Jalil Bujang (PKR).
21. Rita Sarimah Patrick Insol (BN-PRS) - P214 Selangau
Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) made history by nominating Rita Insol as the the first Dayak woman to contest in a parliamentary seat in the general election.
Rita would be the first Dayak woman to be elected as a member of the parliament if she wins against her opponent, Baru Bian (PKR).
Also take a look at these young candidates who will be contesting in a parliamentary seat for the first time: