SEREMBAN: Barisan Nasional component parties MCA and MIC, which stayed out of the last Negri Sembilan polls in 2023, will be making a comeback this time around.
State MCA chief Datuk Leaw Kok Chan said the party was ready to face the polls after deciding not to contest in 2023.
"We are prepared to face the snap polls.
"We will forward our proposed candidates to party president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong to be taken to the Barisan supreme council," he said when contacted.
State MIC deputy chief R.Krishan said the party was also ready to go to the polls again.
"We will also be forwarding our proposed candidates to our president Tan Sri S. A. Vigneswaran," he said when contacted.
Earlier today, state Umno chief Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias said Barisan will be contesting all 36 state seats in the coming polls.
The number of seats to be contested by each component party will also be finalised soon.
"Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will have a final say on the distribution of seats.
"Our election machinery is ready to face the polls," he said when contacted.
The MCA and MIC stayed out of the Aug 2023 state polls after Barisan and Pakatan Harapan decided to join hands to take on Perikatan Nasional.
In the 2018 state polls, Umno contested 22, MCA (10), MIC (two) and Gerakan (two).
Gerakan was then a Barisan component party.
Jalaluddin said Umno was almost done finalising its candidates and these would be sent to Ahmad Zahid for approval.
He said the shortlisted candidates had also been screened to ensure they were eligible
"There will be some new faces especially in seats where we did not contest in the 2023 polls,"he said.
In the last state election, Umno contested 17 seats.
The Negri Sembilan legislative assembly was dissolved on Thursday (June 4) to pave the way for state polls.
In the last state polls held in Aug 2023, Pakatan Harapan bagged 17 seats followed by Barisan (14) and Perikatan (five).
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