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MUAR - Muda candidate Ainie Haziqah has pledged to become the 'biggest and loudest voice' for Simpang Jeram if elected, saying the constituency needs a representative who genuinely speaks up for local concerns regardless of whether they sit on the government or opposition bench.
The 36-year-old lawyer, who is also the only female candidate contesting the seat, said her campaign is centred on ensuring that issues affecting residents in Simpang Jeram receive national attention.
Ainie argued that an opposition assemblyperson can still play a meaningful role by championing issues faced by constituents and keeping pressure on the government to address local problems.
Asked why voters should take a chance on a relatively young and less established candidate, she said her age should be seen as an advantage rather than a weakness.
"I believe that I am the only candidate who is very, very loud and I believe I will be the biggest voice for Simpang Jeram.
"The people should believe in me as the youngest candidate who can make changes in Simpang Jeram. I will definitely make Simpang Jeram be talked about nationally," she added.
The lawyer also highlighted her unique position in the four-cornered contest, saying she is the only woman candidate and the youngest among all contenders.
"I am extremely excited to share my manifesto, which is very localised and very understanding of the problems faced by the people here," she said.
While national issues such as corruption and abuse of power remain central to Muda's platform, Ainie stressed that bread-and-butter concerns cannot be ignored.
She said residents have repeatedly raised infrastructure and local development issues during her engagements on the ground and these concerns would form a key part of her campaign agenda.
"I think it's a mix. There are people who want to talk about national issues such as corruption and abuse of power, but at the same time, there are local issues that need fixing.
"So we cover both, to ensure people's problems on the ground are resolved while also pushing for better politics nationally," she said.
The Simpang Jeram seat will see a four-cornered contest involving Nazri Abd Rahman (Pakatan Harapan-Amanah), Datuk Azman Ismail (Barisan Nasional-Umno), Ainie Haziqah Shafii (Muda) and Arshed Yahya @ Awang (Perikatan Nasional-Pas).
