Umno to finalise Nenggiri by-election candidate next week, says Ahmad Zahid

JELI: Umno will finalise its candidate for the Nenggiri state by-election next week, says party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, said Gua Musang Umno has compiled a shortlist of potential candidates for the polls fixed for Aug 17.

"I appreciate the names of potential candidates submitted by Gua Musang Umno division chief, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, and we will present this to the political bureau for final approval next week," he told reporters after officiating the Jeli Umno division Youth annual general meeting on Thursday (June 27).

Ahmad Zahid said Umno's recent electoral setbacks in Kelantan, including Nenggiri itself during the last state election, have made the party more attentive to current political dynamics, while also reiterating its commitment to engaging with voters to secure victory.

He expressed confidence in Umno's prospects of reclaiming the Nenggiri seat and called on the Barisan Nasional machinery to double its efforts.

On June 19, Kelantan State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah declared the Nenggiri vacant after he was informed that its assemblyman Mohd Azizi Abu Naim had ceased to be a member of Bersatu on June 13.

The Election Commission has set Aug 3 as nomination day for the by-election, with early voting on Aug 13 and polling on Aug 17.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said he would be visiting every state to open division meetings which have been set by UMNO headquarters, to boost the spirits of grassroots.

"We all need to work together to recapture the parliamentary and state seats that fell into opposition hands," he added.

Also present at the meeting were UMNO secretary-general Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki and Kelantan BN chairman Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub. - Bernama