KOTA BARU: Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate for the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election will be from its component party and a division chief.
This was confirmed by the opposition's chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan today.
Takiyuddin who is also Pas secretary-general said the announcement on the candidate would be made tonight.
"PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will announce the candidate's name in a programme in Batang Kali tonight.
"We are confident that our candidate will have a chance to win the contest," said the Kota Baru member of parliament when met at Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house organised by the Kota Baru Municipal Council here today.
Takiyuddin said all PN machineries in the states would be deployed to Kuala Kubu Baharu to help the candidate in his campaign.
It was reported yesterday that PN is expected to field a candidate from Bersatu, Khairul Azhari Saut, for the by-election.
PN sources had said that Khairul is the Bersatu Hulu Selangor division chief, was a local boy, a professional as well as a double degree holder.
The sources said Kuala Kubu Baharu is now a Malay-majority seat with about 51 per cent of voters being Malays and PN believed that it can secure 70 per cent of the Malay vote through Khairul.
A source had also said that PN's top leadership has briefed its coalition partner, Gerakan about the decision to field Khairul.
The Kuala Kubu Baharu seat fell vacant on March 21 after its incumbent Lee Kee Hiong died from cancer.
In the Selangor state election last year, Lee helped DAP to retain Kuala Kubu Baharu after she polled a majority of 4,119 votes in a four-cornered fight at the state seat.
