JOHOR BARU, Sept 30 — The Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition will most likely field a local candidate for the impending Tanjung Piai parliamentary by-election, Johor BN chief Datuk Hasni Mohammad revealed today.
However, he said BN has yet to decide which of its component parties will be best for the contest, amid Umno and PAS’ lobbying that the seat should not automatically be contested MCA as it has been for years.
“I can confirm that we will field a local candidate. Even the state liaison committee agrees that it must be a local candidate and not an ‘outsider’.
“We have not discussed speculation that an outside candidate will be fielded, but we have made our decision that the candidate must be local,” said Hasni after chairing a Johor Umno special meeting at the state liaison committee headquarters here.
Present at the meeting were Johor Umno deputy chief Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed and its secretary Datuk Samsol Bari Jamali.
They were accompanied by the party’s stalwart and Sembrong division chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who is also the Sembrong MP, and the state’s Youth chief Mohd Hairi Mad Shah.
Hasni, who is also Johor Umno chief and state Opposition leader, said no decision had been made yet on the candidate during today’s meeting.
He said many factors needed to be taken into consideration first before any decision is made.
“We need to take into account all aspects as there must be ample time to improve the chances of winning in Tanjung Piai,” said Hasni.
Hasni, who is also Benut assemblyman, said BN is confident that any decision on the matter will be made by the party’s leadership once the Election Commission announces the by-election date tomorrow.
He also believes that BN has a better chance of winning this time around as the coalition is committed to succeeding, with all component parties strengthening their machinery ahead of the by-election.
On talk that the Tanjung Piai Umno division had nominated its chief Datuk Jefridin Atan as a candidate, Hasni affirmed that he had listened to the request as some quarters were keen to win back the parliament seat for BN.
But he stressed that the Tanjung Piai Umno division had also agreed the party’s state liaison committee had several factors to weigh before any final decision is made.
The Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent MP Datuk Dr Md Farid Mohd Rafik from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, following a heart attack on September 22.
MCA’s Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng contested the seat for three general elections, but lost it in the 14th general election by a mere 524-vote majority.
