BN to stay out of Chempaka by-election in Kelantan

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno will sit out the Chempaka by-election in Kelantan but will wait for the outcome of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s request for a royal pardon before it can be sure if there is a vacancy for the Permatang Pauh parliament seat.

Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the decision not to contest in Chempaka following the death of its assemblyman Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat was agreed upon by the party supreme council based on several reasons.

They include the need for Umno to concentrate on flood recovery efforts, as well as to give aid to affected residents in Kelantan.

“We also need to look at efforts to bring greater unity among the people despite our differences of opinion and political ideology,” Najib told reporters after chairing the council meeting at the party headquarters here last night.

Nomination for the Chempaka by-election has been set on March 10 while polling is on March 22.

Nik Aziz, the former Kelantan Mentri Besar and PAS mursyidul am was the five-term assemblyman for the seat. He passed away on Feb 12 at the age of 84.

Najib said Umno had a precedent of not contesting a by-election, as in the case of the Bukit Gelugor polls in Penang last year that was called following the death of the seat’s Member of Parliament Karpal Singh.

Najib said the views of the Kelantan Umno liaison committee and Pengkalan Chepa division was discussed by the council before it decided on the matter.

On Permatang Pauh, Najib said it had yet to be determined if an election would be called as Anwar had sought a royal pardon from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

“We also need to wait for the Constitution to be interpreted on the matter.

“Only after this is done and the Election Commission is informed can it be decided if there is to be a by-election in Permatang Pauh, so we will decide when the time comes,” Najib added.

Anwar, whose five-year jail term for sodomy was upheld by the Federal Court, had requested for a royal pardon on Tuesday, the last day for the deadline for him to do so.