Umno to decide today whether to contest by-election
KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional will decide today if it will contest the Sungai Kandis by-election.
Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the party should participate in the by-election.
“(But) it is not my call to decide on whether the party should contest the by-election or give it a miss.
“The Umno Supreme Council will convene a management meeting tomorrow (today) at the party headquarters to discuss the matter,” the former Negri Sembilan menteri besar told the New Straits Times yesterday.
Mohamad declined to elaborate when he was asked to comment on a statement by Pas, which claimed it would stand in the by-election only if it was a straight fight against Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Among the Umno Supreme Council members who are expected to attend the meeting at the Putra World Trade Centre here today is actressturn-politician Khaidirah Abu Zarah, or more popularly known as Dira Abu Zahar.
She said it was imperative for the party’s top leadership to formulate a strategy and identify a winnable candidate if Umno was seriously considering contesting the by-election.
“The party must make sure we are in it (contesting) to win and not just to create competition or test the waters.
“It will be a waste of energy, what more with our party situation. Financially, we are having a tough time. I am certain those in charge will make the right decision,” she said.
NST learnt that Umno, which suffered a major blow in the 14th General Election (GE14) on May 9, was torn between fielding a candidate to stand in the by-election or sitting out the first by-election after the national polls.
A party insider told NST that there were quarters in Umno who wanted the leadership to focus on efforts to rebuild the party rather than wasting its resources on the by-election.
“There are Umno grassroots leaders who feel that BN should just sit this one out and focus on the party.
“They feel that winning one state seat would not make a big difference, especially in a constituency that the party lost by a big margin in GE14.
“Although the Umno leadership feels the need to contest, many in the party do not favour it since there is a small chance to win the by-election.”
The Sungai Kandis seat fell vacant after its three-term assemblyman, Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei, died of lymphoma cancer on July 2.
The Election Commission (EC) will convene a special meeting today to decide the by-election dates.
The meeting, to be held at the EC headquarters in Putrajaya near here at 10am, will be chaired by the commission’s deputy chairman, Tan Sri Othman Mahmood.
Shuhaimi won with a majority of 12,480 votes, beating Umno’s Datuk Kamaruzzaman Johari (11,518), Pas’ Mohd Yusof Abdullah (7,573) and Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s Hanafiah Husin (67) votes.