Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Umno, President

The coming general election which he has described as "the mother of all elections" will be the second that he will lead as Barisan Nasional chairman after being appointed as Prime Minister on April 3, 2009.

Najib has the tough task of ensuring that the ruling coalition not only retains power in GE14 but does better than in the last general election.

To achieve this he will have to fend off an Opposition pact led by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

Umno, De facto deputy president

Constituency: P75 Bagan Datuk (Perak)

As Barisan Nasional's deputy chairman Dr Ahmad Zahid will lead the ruling coalition's election machinery for GE14.

Among his key tasks has been helping to resolve any internal disputes over seat allocation among Barisan component parties.

His position was further strengthened when the 2017 Umno general assembly passed a resolution for the top two positions in the party to remain uncontested at the next party poll, effectively anointing Dr Ahmad Zahid as the party's de facto deputy president.

Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein

Umno, Vice-president

Constituency: P153 Sembrong (Johor)

Among the key Umno leaders to watch, the profile of Hishammuddin who is Defence Minister got a major boost when he was appointed to a second Cabinet portfolio, namely the Minister with Special Functions at the Prime Minister’s Department in April last year.

The 57-year-old Umno vice president has served as Minister of Youth and Sports, Education, Home Affairs as well as acting Minister of Transport.

Khairy Jamaluddin

Umno, Youth chief

Constituency: P131 Rembau (Negri Sembilan)

The 42-year-old Rembau MP was appointed Youth and Sports Minister in 2013 and is a rising star in both the Government and Umno.

He has been Umno Youth chief since 2009 but has said that he will not be defending his position at the next party election later this year, leading to talk that he may be eyeing a higher position in Umno.

Khairy has won praise for his role in the successful implementation of popular grassroots programmes including Fit Malaysia, Hari Sukan Negara as well as country's hosting of the 29th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur last year.

Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai

MCA, President

Constituency: P89 Bentong (Pahang)

Liow, who was elected party president in 2013, has been instrumental in uniting MCA members. He was also one of the brains behind the MCA-Gerakan Stronger Together rally to campaign hard together for the general election.

He has held Bentong seat for four terms since 1999 and was elected Health Minister from 2008 to 2013 and Transport Minister since 2014.

He is also one of the key people in strengthening the bilateral relations between Malaysia and China.

Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong

MCA, Deputy President

Constituency: P148 Ayer Hitam (Johor)

Dr Wee, who has a PhD in Transportation Planning, has been a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department since 2014. He is the MP for Ayer Hitam, a seat he held for three terms since 2004.

The 50-year-old was elected deputy president of the party in 2013. He was the youth chief for five years prior to that.

Dr Wee has been vocal against the DAP-led Penang government due to its controversial Penang undersea tunnel project.

Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun

MCA, Vice-presiedent

Constituency: P80 Raub (Pahang)

She was elected as MP twice in 1999 and 2004.

Chew was the Deputy Minister for Women, Family and Community Development from 2009 to 2010.

She had constested in the Kajang by-election in 2014 but lost to PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Datuk Chong Sin Woon

MCA, Youth chief

Constituency: P128 Seremban (Negri Sembilan)

One of the fresh faces to watch in the general election. It will be his first time contesting.

He was elected party youth chief in 2013 and was appointed as Deputy Education Minister the following year by the Government.

Chong, who is from Negri Sembilan, has been chosen to stand in Seremban, a seat that DAP has held for the past two terms.

Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam

MIC, President

Constituency: P140 Segamat (Johor)

Was elected MIC president in June 2015 and has worked to reunite the party following an internal rift.

Under his leadership of the party, the Government launched the Malaysian Indian Blueprint - the first action plan for the community that covered basic needs like education, entrepreneurship, housing, employment, documentation and social development.

As his first general election as MIC president, Dr Subramaniam has to make sure he leaves his mark by delivering the Indian community’s votes to the Barisan Nasional coalition.

Datuk Seri S.K. Devamany

MIC, Deputy president

Constituency: P62 Sungai Siput (Perak)

Held the Cameron Highlands parliament seat in 2004 and 2008.

In 2013, then MIC president Datuk Seri G Palanivel contested and won Cameron Highlands, while Devamany contested in Sungai Siput where he lost to Dr Michael Jeyakumar from PSM.

Was voted in as MIC president at the party election in 2015.

Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong

Gerakan, President

Constituency: P76 Teluk Intan (Perak)

Mah became of president of Gerakan in 2013 in the party election that year.

Dubbed the comeback kid of Barisan Nasional, Mah won the Teluk Intan parliament seat in a 2014 by-election after being defeated in his bid for the seat during the general election the year before.

Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili

PBS, Deputy president

Constituency: P168 Kota Marudu (Sabah)

Nephew of PBS president and Kadazandusun Huguan Siou or paramount leader Tan Sri Joseph Kitingan.

Maximus, who is PBS deputy president, was appointed Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister in 2013.

Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof

PBB, Senior vice president

Constituency: P194 Petra Jaya (Sarawak)

One of the politicians to watch in Sarawak Barisan Nasional, the Petra Jaya MP first contested for Parliament in 2004 where he won the seat.

Appointed Deputy Minister if Science, Technology and Innovation.

Appointed Works Minister in 2013.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad

Pribumi, Chairman

Constituency: P4 Langkawi (Kedah)

The 93-year-old former Prime Minister leads the Opposition pact Pakatan Harapan.

Retired as Prime Minister on Oct 31, 2003, then turned his guns on successor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and quits Umno on May 15, 2008

Rejoins Umno in 2009 after Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is appointed Prime Minister but withdraws support for Najib in 2014.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Pribumi, President

Constituencies: P143 Pagoh (Johor) , N9 Gambir (Johor)

The former Deputy Prime Minister was dropped from the Cabinet in 2015.

The splinter Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Pribumi) was then set up the following year with Muhyiddin as president.

With Pribumi allocated 52 parliament seats to contest in Peninsula Malaysia - the lion's share among Pakatan Harapan parties - the coming general election will be a key test of whether Pribumi and its leaders including Muhyiddin have significant traction among voters.

Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir

Pribumi, Deputy president

Constituencies: P5 Jerlun (Kedah) , N6 Jitra (Kedah)

The son of Dr Mahathir became an MP in 2008 after winning the Jerlun Parliament seat.

Contested for Umno Youth chief at the party election 2009 in a three-way-race against Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo and Khairy Jamaluddin, with Khairy winning the post.

Was appointed Kedah Mentri Besar following the 2013 general election, but stepped down from the post on Feb 3, 2016 after losing majority support from Barisan Nasional assemblymen.

Lim Guan Eng

DAP, Secretary-general

Constituencies: P43 Bagan (Penang) , N23 Air Putih (Penang)

The Penang chief Minister and a businesswoman were charged in 2016 at the High Court in George Town over a house purchase deal they struck in June 2015.

Lim has also been involved in a war of words with MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong who has been raising questions about Penang's controversial undersea tunnel project.

Lim Kit Siang

DAP, Adviser

Constituency: P162 Iskandar Puteri (Johor)

The 77-year-old DAP adviser started his career as an MP in 1969 when he won the Bandar Melaka seat.

In 2013, Lim won the Gelang Patah Parliament seat in Johor, defeating former Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Othman.

Kerk Chee Yee

DAP, Political secretary to the DAP parliamentary leader

Constituency: N16 Ayer Keroh (Melaka)

Son of Kerk Kim Hock, the former DAP secretary-general who died last year.

The 26-year-old Chee Yee was appointed as political secretary to the DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang after his father's death.

Gobind Singh Deo

DAP, Deputy chairman

Constituency: P103 Puchong (Selangor)

Son of late DAP Stalwart Karpal Singh, Gobind Singh Deo is a prominent lawyer and two-term MP for Puchong.

He is the Selangor DAP vice-chairman and DAP legal bureau secretary.

In 2009, he was suspended from Parliament for one year for calling the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak a “murderer” during a debate in Dewan Rakyat and insulting the deputy speaker as he sought answers to high-profile case of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail

PKR, President

Constituency: P100 Pandan (Selangor)

The Parliamentary Opposition leader and wife of PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was first elected as MP for Permatang Pauh in 1999.

She resigned as MP four months after the general election in 2008 to make way for Anwar to contest the seat in a by-election which he won.

She replaced Anwar as PKR's candidate for Kajang state seat by-election in Selangor in 2014 after the Court of Appeal convicted Anwar for sodomy. Dr Wan Azizah won the Kajang by-election.

Datuk Seri Azmin Ali

PKR, Deputy president

Constituencies: P98 Gombak (Selangor) , N19 Bukit Antarabangsa (Selangor)

The PKR deputy president was appointed Selangor Mentri Besar in September 2014 following in the aftermath of the Kajang move, which was a failed attempt by the party to replace then mentri besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim with the party’s de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Pakatan Rakyat wrested Selangor from Barisan Nasional in 2008 and was returned to power in 2013. The collapse of Pakatan Rakyat and bad blood between Pakatan Harapan and PAS have created an opening for Barisan to mount a formidable challenge to regain the state.

Nurul Izzah

PKR, Vice-president

Constituency: P44 Permatang Pauh (Penang)

The daughter of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim won the Lembah Pantai parliament seat in 2008, defeating Wanita Umno chief Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil who was the incumbent.

Retained the Lembah Pantai seat in 2013 with a narrow win over Barisan candidate Datuk Seri Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, leading to questions whether she will continue to run for Lembah Pantai in GE14 or move to a "safer" seat.

Dr Mujahid Yusof

Amanah, Vice-president

Constituency: P57 Parit Buntar (Perak)

Son of former PAS president, Yusof Rawa.

Contested the general elections of 2008 and 2013 under the PAS ticket.

Was among the group of PAS progressives who later quit the party to join the splinter Amanah.

Khalid Abd Samad

Amanah, Strategic communications director

Constituency: P108 Shah Alam (Selangor)

Younger brother of Johor Baru MP Tan Sri Shahrir Samad from Barisan Nasional.

Khalid is a two-term MP for Shah Alam, winning the seat in 2008 and 2013 under the PAS ticket.

His support for DAP and PKR did not sit well with PAS most party members who eventually voted him out and other progressive leaders in a 2015 internal polls, prior to the breakup of Pakatan Rakyat.

Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang

PAS, President

Constituency: P37 Marang (Terengganu)

Former Terengganu Mentri Besar from 1999 to 2004 when PAS held the state.

Hadi's move to table a Private Member’s Bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355) was the final straw in souring ties between PAS and DAP and led to the collapse of Pakatan Rakyat.

PKR and DAP, along with PAS splinter party Amanah and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia then formed Pakatan Harapan while PAS set up another grouping, Gagasan Sejahtera with Ikatan, Berjasa and PCM.

Nasrudin Hassan

PAS, Information chief

Constituency: P82 Indera Mahkota (Pahang)

Won the Temerloh parliament seat in 2013, defeating Barisan's incumbent candidate Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.

Is widely viewed as among PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang's key loyalists.

Has been at the forefront in leading numerous protest on issues relating to Islam.

Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi

PAS, Youth chief

Constituency: N16 Batu Buruk (Terengganu)

Eldest child of PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, he is considered one of PAS’ rising stars.

Won the PAS Youth chief position unopposed during the last party election.

A likely candidate for GE14, he is likely to be popular among the younger set of PAS supporters.

Nik Mohamad Abduh

PAS, Central committee member

Constituency: P25 Bachok (Kelantan)

Considered as of the rising stars in PAS, Nik Mohamad Abduh is the son of the late PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

The 47-year-old rose to prominence after he won Pasir Mas parliamentary seat against incumbent Datuk Ibrahim Ali who contested as an independent.

In the last party election, Nik Abduh got the most votes in the contest for the PAS central committee.

Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal

Warisan, President

Constituencies: P189 Semporna (Sabah) , N53 Senallang (Sabah)

A former vice-president of Umno, Shafie was dropped from the Cabinet along with deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in 2015.

He was suspended as an Umno member in June 2016, and in the following month he quit the party.

Formed a new Sabah-based party Warisan which was approved by the Registrar of Societies in October 2016.

Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj

PSM, Central committee member