GENTING HIGHLANDS, July 3- Barisan Nasional (BN) will propose three names to enable its chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to select the one who will be nominated as the BN’s candidate for the Kuala Besut state by-election soon.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the three individuals were highly-qualified local residents.
“Even though the chairman, who is also Umno president, is currently abroad, we will still give him the three names so that he can make the decision as soon as possible,” he told reporters after opening the 20th National Seminar on Management and Education Leadership 2013 at Institut Aminuddin Baki here yesterday .
Muhyiddin, who is also BN Kuala Besut state by-election director, said BN had made all the preparations and it was hoped that the result of the by-election would be better than that of the 13th general election.
“We just convened a meeting where we were briefed by our divisionrepresentative leader and also the division secretary. Menteri Besar (Datuk Seri Ahmad Said) was also present to give us input on what we can do to win the by-election, he said.
The deputy prime minister said if the by-election were called during the fasting month of Ramadan, the BN’s campaign would definitely be carried out using a different approach.
“Our strategy is to win the state seat. That’s our strong fortress. There’s no way we are having a mixed government, don’t even think about it,” he said.
ON DAP’s statement to boycott the by-election following the indelible ink fiasco, Muhyiddin said:-
“I think it’s good if they want to boycott it, we have no problem with it because our democracy system allows it. But, if they want to challenge us, we will surely fight back,” he said.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, in a recent event in Kulaijaya, Johor, proposed for PAS to boycott the Kuala Besut state by-election, but PAS had already decided to contest for the seat and would not give an easy victory to the BN.
The by-election must be held within 60 days from June 26, following the death of its assemblyman, Dr A Rahman Mokhtar, last week.
In the 13th general election, A Rahman won with 8,809 votes, defeating Napsiah Ismail of PAS who only managed to garner 6,375 votes.
– BERNAMA
