BAGAN DATUK, July 12 — Umno will discuss with Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties together with PAS to field only one candidate from the Opposition for the Sungai Kandis by-election, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

He also said Umno and BN, comprising MCA and MIC, have decided to run in the Selangor by-election but have yet to pick a candidate.

“Discussions will be held with several parties from BN, even though an informal meeting has already taken place. We will also discuss with the other Opposition party PAS,” he said after attending the Bagan Datuk constituency future Haji thanksgiving ceremony.

“The discussions is to make sure only one candidate fielded for the Sungai Kandis state seat from the Opposition,” added Ahmad Zahid.

Ahmad Zahid said the candidate must be winnable.

Last week, the Election Commission announced that the Sungai Kandis by-election will be held on August 4. Nomination will be on July 21.

The by-election will be held following the death of PKR assemblyman Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei due to lymphoma on July 2.

Mat Shuhaimi retained the Sungai Kandis (formerly Sri Muda) state seat for the third consecutive term with a majority of 12,480 votes in a four-cornered fight against BN, PAS and PRM candidates.

Ahmad Zahid also said Umno has yet to review the suggestion of using its party logo for the by-election instead of the traditional BN logo, which was discussed in the party’s management commission.

Selangor Umno deputy liaison chief Datuk Mat Nadzari Ahmad Dahlan told national newswire Bernama yesterday that Selangor Umno approved fielding a candidate in Sg Kandis under the Malay party’s logo.

“I will bring this matter to the political commission meeting for us to review whether it will benefit the party to use the Umno logo for the by-election, instead of BN’s logo,” said Ahmad Zahid.

The Bagan Datuk MP also said the authorities’ decision to freeze several Umno accounts including the headquarters and Selangor, will not affect the by-election process.

“Even though some of the party accounts has been frozen, but we are confident that people who feel sympathy towards Umno is still many.

“Maybe the donation from them will help us to carry out the by-election and the commitment shown by the Umno members is still strong,” he said.

He also said the party will not spend like how it did in previous by-elections.

“Our approach right now is to have a low cost by-election with high impact,” he said.

Recently, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had frozen several Umno accounts as part of investigations into state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).