KUALA LUMPUR: MCA will not campaign in the coming Kuala Kubu Baharu state by-election in Selangor if Barisan Nasional does not contest the seat, the party’s Political Development Committee announced.
The decision was made at the committee’s meeting at the party headquarters yesterday.
“After a thorough deliberation, it was the unanimous decision of the committee that if the proposed candidate is not a member of any Barisan Nasional component party, MCA will not participate in the campaign,” it said in a satement.
The Political Development Committee is chaired by party president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
The by-election is being held due to the death of the DAP’s three-term assemblyman Lee Kee Hiong on March 21.
The Election Commission has announced that nominations will be held on April 27 with polling on May 11.
The DAP is set to contest the seat for Pakatan Harapan, with its secretary-general Anthony Loke saying that the party had a shortlist of candidates.
It was reported that DAP might field a Malay candidate to woo the community, which represents about 46% of the over 40,000 registered voters in the constituency.
Pakatan secretariat head Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had said that the choice of candidate will be finalised soon, adding that he would consult Prime Minister and Pakatan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the issue.
A detailed analysis of the voting pattern in the constituency during the state polls last year showed that although DAP – which is part of the Pakatan coalition – won in the first four voting streams, the going was tough elsewhere with Gerakan, contesting under the Perikatan Nasional banner, winning in the fifth to eighth out of the 10 voting streams.
With analysts expecting a lower voter turnout for the by-election, things are expected to be tougher this time around.
The Opposition is also yet to decide on its candidate. Bersatu has formed a special committee to tap into the needs of Indian and Orang Asli voters, with its Selangor chief Datuk Seri Azmin Ali revealing that 12 portfolios had been created for the purpose.
He said he had chaired a special meeting on the by-election to discuss strategies to gain support for Perikatan Nasional.
