PONTIAN, Oct 29 — The Tanjung Piai Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra) today reiterated its stand and confirmed that it will be contesting in the constituency’s coming parliamentary by-election if Barisan Nasional (BN) fields a non-Malay candidate.

Tanjung Piai Putra division chief Saharudin Kamijan said if that was the case, the announcement of the candidate would be made a day before nomination on November 2.

Despite the party publicly announcing it will not contest the Tanjung Piai by-election several days ago, he explained that the decision to place Putra’s candidate was not made at the division level but was actually by its central leadership.

"Yes, it is true that Putra president Datuk Ibrahim Ali had announced that the party does not want to contest, but in the press conference [three days ago at Putra’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur] it must be understood that we should be prepared in the event BN fields a non-Malay candidate.

"It seems that BN is still undecided if their candidate will come from either Umno or MCA for the Tanjung Piai by-election, although Pakatan Harapan (PH) has announced Karmaine Sardini as the coalition’s candidate yesterday,” said Saharudin when met at Taman Sri Api Api here.

Saharudin said Putra’s participation in the by-election will give a choice to voters, especially the Malays, in the Tanjung Piai parliamentary constituency.

"Tanjung Piai’s sentiments is not about having a young or old candidate as I believe it is more racial in nature.

"As the majority of voters in Tanjung Piai are Malay, Putra is keen to contest a Malay candidate if BN pushes forward with a non-Malay one,” he said.

On Putra’s candidate of choice, Saharudin said the party’s president Ibrahim would most likely be contesting the Tanjung Piai by-election.

Meanwhile, commenting on PH’s chances, Saharudin admitted that the the ruling coalition through Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia has many advantages.

He said the aura brought by the late Tanjung Piai MP Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik is still strong with the locals.

"However, in my view the confidence of the people here towards the PH government is on a decline. In addition to that, PH is also using a ‘recycled’ candidate, who lost in the last general election while contesting in the Pontian parliamentary constituency,” he said, referring to Karmaine.

In addition, Saharudin noted that Pontian and Tanjung Piai were adjacent constituencies and was once under one constituency.

Previously on October 26, Malay Mail reported that Putra will not contest the Tanjung Piai by-election as it is focusing on its preparations for the 15th general election.

Ibrahim was quoted as saying that the party was initially divided about this, but in the end, made that decision.

Yesterday, PH announced 66-year-old Karmaine Sardini as their by-election candidate, while earlier today Gerakan has also named its deputy secretary-general Wendy Subramaniam as their candidate to contest the constituency.

If Putra were to enter the fray, the Tanjung Piai by-election will see a four-cornered contest between PH, BN, Gerakan and Putra.

The Election Commission has set November 2 as Nomination Day and November 16 as polling day for the Tanjung Piai parliamentary by-election.

The by-election was triggered after incumbent, Dr Md Farid died of heart complications on September 21.

Dr Md Farid won the seat in the previous general election after he defeated BN’s Wee Jeck Seng and PAS’ Nordin Othman in a three-way contest.

The Tanjung Piai constituency is a mixed seat comprising 57 per cent Malays, 42 per cent Chinese and 1 per cent Indians.

The seat has been traditionally contested by MCA and DAP since 2004. In 2018, DAP ceded the seat to Bersatu to contest under its PH campaign.