SUNGAI PETANI: Lawyer Dr Mohamad Sofee Razak (pic), has been announced as Pakatan Harapan’s candidate for Padang Serai, where the polling for GE15 was postponed due to the death of a candidate.

The announcement was made in a special ceremony held at Seraya Business Complex on Wednesday (Nov 23) night.

Announcing the candidacy of Mohamad Sofee was Johor Pakatan chairman Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub on behalf of the Pakatan leadership.

Salahuddin said Mohamad was chosen based on several criteria such as professionalism and the current political climate in the state.

Mohamad Sofee, 47, a lawyer by profession, contested in Kuala Ketil state seat during GE14.

The Kedah PKR secretary is also a journal and magazine writer.

He holds a masters degree from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in communication and law as well as a PhD in Islamic Finance and Banking from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah (UniSHAMS)

Present during the ceremony were Kedah Pakatan chairman Datuk Mahfuz Omar, Suka Menanti assemblyman Datuk Zamri Yusuf, DAP state chairman Tan Kok Yew, Amanah acting chairman Datuk Dr Ismail Salleh, among others.

In GE15, Pakatan’s M. Karupaiya, 68, who was the incumbent MP, passed away two days before polling day.

He was set to contest in a six-way tussle that included Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Sivarraajh Chandran, Datuk Azman Nasrudin (Perikatan), Hamzah Abdul Rahman (Pejuang), Mohd Bakri Hashim (Warisan) and Sreanandha Rao (Independent).

The Election Commission postponed polling to Dec 7, nomination on Nov 24, with early voting on Dec 3.