Zahid: BN to contest Tanjung Piai, but undecided on which party
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — Barisan Nasional (BN) will be fielding its own candidate in the Tanjung Piai by-election, chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed today, ending speculation that new ally PAS will get the chance instead.
Zahid, who is also Umno president, however, did not elaborate on which component party will contest the seat, amid a concerted push for Umno to field its own candidate instead of one from MCA as has traditionally been the case.
“We will contest the by-election and only after detailed discussions are conducted will we announce who the candidate representing BN will be,” he said during a press conference after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting at Menara Datuk Onn here.
When pressed further on whether it would consider fielding an MCA candidate, Zahid merely said he had discussed the matter with MCA President Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong.
He reiterated that BN will only name the candidate after it has finished reviewing its situation.
Zahid also confirmed that Umno will postpone its general assembly to December 4 to 7, after the initial dates clashed with the campaign period and polling date of the by-election, which falls on November 16.
“This will ensure that all of our machinery will focus on Tanjung Piai,” he said.
Malay Mail had earlier quoted Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan as saying so.
MCA has also postponed its own general assembly which falls on Nomination Day.
The Tanjung Piai parliamentary by-election was triggered by the death of its incumbent Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik, 42, following a heart attack last month.
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