ALOR SETAR, Nov 11 — Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi hinted that the party may field a direct candidate in the Kemaman parliamentary by-election scheduled to be held on Dec 2.
According to the UMNO president, the same method was used by BN in previous elections where candidates were chosen without regard to the hierarchy of positions within the party and it was well received.
“We will likely use the same method in this Kemaman (parliamentary by-election), insya-Allah,” he commented briefly on the criteria for BN candidates in the by-election when met by reporters after officiating the Kedah UMNO political bureau retreat today.
BN candidate for the by-election is expected to be announced this Monday in Kuala Lumpur.
The Kemaman Parliamentary by-election is being called following the Terengganu Election Court’s ruling on Sept 26, which nullified the victory of Che Alias Hamid from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the seat in GE15 after the petitioner successfully proved the existence of elements of corruption during the campaign period.
The Election Commission set the polling day for the Kemaman parliamentary by-election on Dec 2 and nomination day on Nov 18 while early voting is on Nov 28.
Ahmad Zahid said what is important is not only victory for the by-election, but that at least the majority of the votes of political opponents can be reduced.
“That is an indication of the success which we will start at Kemaman,” he said.
In the meantime, Ahmad Zahid said he was committed to realising the resolutions reached at today’s retreat which was attended by committee members from the entire Kedah UMNO political bureau.
“I believe we have 36 months from now to prepare for the GE16, although it may be a bit too early, we must take some actions, especially in unifying the leadership’s thinking at the state, division and branch levels.
“This step, insya-Allah, will be followed by other states and some methods for the organisational structure at the election machinery level will also be revamped. We will start this in the Kemaman by-election,” he said.
