KUALA LUMPUR – Muhammad Nazriq Abdul Rahman, the Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) candidate for Alor Gajah, has plans to turn the district into a popular tourist destination, similar to Bandar Hilir, if he wins the parliamentary seat.
The GTA Melaka chairman said Alor Gajah has many tourist attractions which would make it a popular place to visit.
If he wins the seat in the 15th general election (GE15), he said he wants to change the entire outlook of Alor Gajah through specific and structured planning.
“Melaka is a tourist state, but Alor Gajah rarely receives tourists. My target is that at least 50% of visitors who come (to Melaka) must stay overnight here to boost local businesses.
“In this way, Alor Gajah can also become the focus of tourists who are also going to Bandar Hilir,” he said when met during his campaign rounds.
He said tourism activities can generate income and even help small and medium-sized enterprises grow.
Nazriq said he was not afraid to face more experienced candidates in GE15, including incumbent Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof and former chief minister Adly Zahari.
The former teacher admitted that he is an underdog candidate, but serving the people is the most important thing to him.
He said though he was not from the district, he has since lived in Alor Gajah for a long time and most of the voters he met were happy to see him as a candidate.
“I may not be as popular compared to other candidates, but when I am here, the people of Alor Gajah welcome me. In fact, now they (Alor Gajah residents) openly discuss matters with me and even give their opinions.
“There are many problems that they raised, and these should be solved by the people’s representatives here, the local authorities, or state government agencies,” he said.
Nazriq will face a four-cornered fight with Adly (Pakatan Harapan), Redzuan (Perikatan Nasional), and Shahril Sufian Hamdan (Barisan Nasional).
In GE14, Redzuan, who contested under a PH ticket, won by a 6,980-majority against BN candidate Wong Nai Chee and Nazree Aris (PAS). – The Vibes, November 14, 2022