KUALA KANGSAR: Umno will contest the Kuala Kangsar parliamentary seat if a by-election is held, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Umno president, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, said that the result of the 15th General Election was the reason as Umno received the second-highest number of votes after the winning candidate.
"According to Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, the formula is that if we lost the seat (during the election) but were in second position (in terms of votes received), then in the upcoming election, it is incumbent on us to recapture the seat," he said when opening the Kuala Kangsar Umno delegates meeting at Dewan Jubli Perak here on Monday (July 8).
In GE15 held on Nov 19, 2022, Bersatu's Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid won the Kuala Kangsar parliamentary seat by securing 14,380 votes, while Barisan Nasional candidate Maslin Sham Razman received 10,814 votes.
Besides Kuala Kangsar, Bersatu has submitted notices to Parliament Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul requesting that the Gua Musang, Jeli, Bukit Gantang, Tanjung Karang and Labuan parliamentary seats be vacated as the party had revoked the memberships of the MPs concerned for switching support to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Barisan chairman, said that the allocation of seats between them and Pakatan Harapan for GE16 will be discussed in detail at its supreme council meeting.
Commenting on the decree by the His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, during the Maal Hijrah celebration to enhance enforcement against deviant teachings, Ahmad Zahid said the matter will be brought to the meeting of the National Council of Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia (MKI) for discussion.
"We know that the Islamic Development Malaysia Department (Jakim) is the coordinating body at federal level for Islamic propagation and development, but the administration of Islam is under the jurisdiction of the Malay rulers and state governments.
"His Majesty's decree can be brought to the MKI meeting chaired by Perak's Sultan Nazrin Shah for further scrutiny and implementation," he said. – Bernama
