Najib's Son to Make Debut in Malaysia Polls by Running for State Seat

Mohamad Nizar Najib, the eldest son of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, will contest for a state seat in this month’s election. Najib is seeking to continue his family’s political legacy.

Nizar, 44, will contest for the Peramu Jaya seat under the Pekan federal constituency, according to the Election Commission. He is among more than two dozen new candidates that the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition picked for the Pahang state poll that will be held alongside the Nov. 19 national vote. Nizar is a well-known figure in the area and is expected to win the seat.

There was speculation that Nizar would contest the parliamentary seat of Pekan, which his family had won in almost every election since Malaysia’s independence in 1957. Nizar replaced incumbent Peramu Jaya assemblyman Sheikh Mohamed Puzi Sheikh Ali, who instead stood in the Pekan parliamentary seat.

Najib is serving a 12-year prison sentence for his role in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal. He has applied for a royal pardon, but remains on trial in four other cases, each carrying prison terms and hefty financial penalties. Najib's lawyers have said that the former leader is innocent and have vowed to clear his name.

The campaigning for Malaysia's general election started on Saturday, with the ruling Barisan Nasional alliance looking to increase its power after a series of successful local polls. According to the Election Commission, nearly 1,000 candidates submitted nomination papers. More than 21 million Malaysians will vote for 222 parliament seats and choose representatives for the states of Pahang, Perak and Perlis.