KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 — Umno and the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition it anchors should take their reason to sit out the Chempaka by-election next month a step further to bolster national unity instead of for just one community, DAP’s Lim Kit Siang said today.

The opposition party’s parliamentary leader said he welcomed Umno’s decision to stay out of the contest for the Kelantan state seat, and urged the federal ruling party to also forego the Permatang Pauh by-election as well.

Such a move “can set in motion a  virtuous, positive and statesmanlike process of  national reconciliation to forge greater national unity and consensus  to bring  together all political forces and all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region, into one common national endeavour to save Malaysia from the many dangerous travails and challenges – political, economic, educational, social, environmental – confronting the nation,” the Gelang Patah MP said in a statement.

Yesterday, Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak cited Muslim “unity” as the reason to stay out of the Chempaka state by-election in Kelantan.

The decision was also made so the federal government can focus on its flood relief efforts in the east coast state as there are still victims who need help, he added.

“We will stay out of the by-election... because we want to focus on the rehabilitation and reparation works as the efforts are still in process. There are also those who have yet to receive aide so this is a priority.

“Secondly, we also consider that we look into efforts to unite the ummah (Muslim community) as even if we differ politically unity is important,” Najib told reporters after chairing Umno’s supreme council meeting here.

Najib defended Umno’s abstinence as “normal”, citing as precedent the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary by-election.

“There is precedent. When Bukit Gelugor was vacant, BN didn’t field a candidate so it’s not necessary to do it. We will look at the situation first,” he said.

The Umno president said the matter was agreed by the party’s Kelantan chapter.

The Chempaka state seat fell vacant after incumbent Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat died from prostate cancer on February 12.

The Election Commission has set nominations for March 10 and polling on March 22.