UMNO HAS SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES FOR NENGGIRI BY-ELECTION - AHMAD ZAHID

MARAN, June 30 (Bernama) -- UMNO has shortlisted several candidates for the Nenggiri by-election in Kelantan, meeting three key criteria: winnability, public acceptance, and voter appeal, says UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that these shortlisted candidates would be discussed with Gua Musang UMNO Division chief Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and the Kelantan UMNO Liaison Body before being finalised by the party’s Political Bureau.

“I believe the shortlisted names meet the criteria of winnability, acceptance, and appeal among voters. I just need an endorsement from the political bureau before announcing it.

“And in my opinion, Tengku Razaleigh will consider local figures from Nenggiri itself as candidates, proposed by the division and the state liaison body,” he said during a press conference after officiating the Maran UMNO Division Meeting in Pekan Tajau here today.

To ensure BN’s victory in the polls, Zahid said he had directed Kelantan BN and the Kelantan UMNO Liaison Body to mobilise the entire party machinery to Nenggiri.

“I have met with BN and Kelantan UMNO chairman Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub to organise the campaign strategy. I am confident that component parties in the Unity Government will also support the UMNO candidate representing BN throughout the Nenggiri by-election campaign,” he said.

It is understood that three names were shortlisted by UMNO Gua Musang to be submitted to the party leadership as candidates for the Nenggiri state by-election, which was decided at the Gua Musang UMNO Division meeting yesterday.

They are Kelantan UMNO Youth chief and Gua Musang UMNO Youth chief Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani, Gua Musang UMNO Information chief Amran Arifin, and Gua Musang Wanita UMNO chief Nor Fadzlete Aryani Mat Rosli.

The Election Commission (EC) has set the Nenggiri state by-election for Aug 17, with nomination day on Aug 3 and early voting on Aug 13.

The Kelantan State Assembly on June 13 received a written notice under clause (3) Article 31A of the State Constitution regarding Nenggiri assemblyman Mohd Azizi Abu Naim losing his Bersatu membership, and the seat was declared vacant on June 19 by Kelantan State Assembly Speaker Datuk Mohd Amar Abdullah.

-- BERNAMA