KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said he hopes Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Mat Razi Mat Ail will be able to defend the Pengkalan Kubor seat for the BN in the upcoming by-election for the state constituency. 

“I believe Ustaz Mat Razi is the BN’s most ‘sung’ (suitable) candidate for the Pengkalan Kubor by-election. Hopefully, he will defend the BN seat,” said Najib, who is also BN chairman on his Facebook. 

Mat Razi, 48, a Tumpat Umno Committee member and former Tumpat assistant education officer, was announced as the BN candidate on Wednesday by Deputy Prime Minister and BN deputy chairman, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. 

Muhyiddin said the BN chose Mat Razi, who is a member of the Tumpat Umno Committee, as he was a local who had much experience and had been of service to the constituents. 

The by-election has been necessitated by the death of three-term assemblyman Datuk Noor Zahidi Omar of the BN on August 20. 

In the last general election, he defeated PKR candidate Saharun Ibrahim and an independent candidate Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary with a majority of 1,736 votes.

Nomination is tomorrow and polling on September 25. — Bernama