UNITY PACT LEAVES DECISION TO NATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Discussions already held at branch, division and state levels, says govt spokesman
THE unity pact leadership at the national level will meet closer to nomination day to finalise discussions on several matters, including the candidate for the upcoming Sungai Bakap byelection.
Unity government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil said discussions had already been held at the branch, division and state levels.
“We will strive to win back the Sungai Bakap state seat, insyaAllah,” he told newsmen during a day-long working trip to Penang.
Fahmi said this in response to the announcement earlier in the day that the Election Commission had fixed July 6 for the byelection.
EC deputy chairman Professor Azmi Sharom said the commission had also set nomination day for June 22, while early voting would be conducted on July 2.
The by-election has been called following the death of the incumbent assemblyman, Pas’ Nor Zamri Latiff, on May 24.
Azmi said the by-election will see 39,279 voters going to the polls, with allocations by the EC set at RM2.1 million.
In the 2023 state polls, Zamri beat PKR’s Nurhidayah Che Rus with a 1,563-vote majority.
On Monday, the Penang unity pact had agreed to field a candidate from PKR to contest the upcoming Sungai Bakap by-election.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who heads the state pact, said the decision was unanimously agreed upon by all parties.
PKR had submitted the names of five potential candidates to the top leadership for a decision.
Elaborating on the candidates’ list, Fahmi said the office of the (PKR) president would look into the matter comprehensively in line with the specific criteria, including the possibility of a local candidate being fielded.
“We will know the candidate when the time comes. We will leave it to the leadership to make the final decision,” he added.