Unity govt may announce candidate two days earlier

KUALA LUMPUR: The unity government may announce its candidate for the Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) by-election about two days before nomination day on April 27.

Barisan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the unity government is currently identifying the best candidate for the by-election.

“We are identifying a candidate and it will be a candidate of the unity government ... We want to introduce them as a candidate of the unity government,” he said.

He said this after the launch of the Artificial Intelligence Sandbox at the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation Park in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

Zambry said he is tasked together with DAP organising secretary Steven Sim to head preliminary preparations for the by-election and to ensure all parties under the unity government are working as a team.

“We have made several early preparations such as monitoring the situation in KKB in terms of its voters,” he said.

“Most importantly, we carry the message of the government that this is an administration that practices moderate politics. That is our motto.”

The unity government leadership council had met on Wednesday evening and they decided to appoint Zambry and Sim to coordinate the coalition’s campaign in the upcoming by-election.

The by-election is being held to fill the vacancy caused by incumbent Kuala Kubu Baharu assemblyman Lee Kee Hiong’s death recently.

Sources have said that there are several potential DAP candidates to represent the unity government, among whom is Selangor party deputy chairman Gobind Singh’s political secretary Mandeep Singh.

There was also talk that DAP may field a female municipal councillor in the by-election.

The Kuala Kubu Baharu was held by DAP since 2013.