KUALA KUBU BARU: Umno will stick to its principles and respect the seats won by allies in the unity government.
Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party will support any candidate fielded under the unity government for the Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) by-election, even if does not belong to Umno or BN.
"If there are any statements issued (on dissatisfaction) over the candidate (if it is not from BN), I believe that these are the position of the party itself.
"I hope that these (the dissatisfaction) are temporary and if statements are being made out of resentment due to remarks made by other component parties (in the unity government), I hope it can be resolved immediately to clarify any misunderstanding," he said when met by reporters after the launching of a meeting of Umno Hulu Selangor division's branches as well as the division's Hari Raya event.
Present were BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki and Umno supreme council member Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Zahid said this when asked about the threat by BN component parties MCA and MIC to sit out campaigns ahead of the KKB by-election should the candidate fielded not be from BN.
He said all component parties under the unity government should strive for political harmony at both the state and national levels.
"This should be done to help facilitate Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, as the leader of the unity government, in finding common ground.
"If there are differences, in my opinion, they should be resolved in the best possible manner."
When asked whether he plans to meet the MCA and MIC leadership over the matter, Zahid said a meeting had already taken place.
"The prime minister (Anwar) will also meet them (MCA and MIC) to discuss the matter."
It was previously reported that MCA would sit out of the election campaign should a candidate from BN not be fielded by the unity coalition for the upcoming Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election.
Similarly, its BN counterpart, MIC, also said it will not campaign for the upcoming by-election which is scheduled to take place on May 11.
Last month, Zahid had said the coalition would not stake a claim to the seat and give way to DAP, its ally in the unity government.
Yesterday, BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan had said the coalition's component parties must help candidates representing the unity government in the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election.
The Election Commission (EC) has fixed May 11 for the KKB by-election. Nomination is set for April 27, with early voting on May 7.
The by-election is being held following the death of its three-term assemblyman Lee Kee Hiong on March 21 after a battle with cancer.
