AYER KUNING BY-ELECTION: BN MOVES DATE TO ANNOUNCE CANDIDATE TO APRIL 7

TAPAH, March 22 (Bernama) -- Barisan Nasional (BN) has changed the date for announcing its candidate for the Ayer Kuning state by-election from April 5 to April 7, according to Perak BN chairman Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.

He said the announcement would be made by Barisan Nasional chairman and UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at Kampung Haji Tahir Organised Housing Scheme in Temoh.

"The national-level MADANI 2025 Aidilfitri celebration is expected to be held on April 5 in Melaka, so everyone will go there and the next day we also take into account that people will return to their respective areas after a week of Hari Raya, so the highway will be congested.

"Therefore, we will make an announcement on April 7 in conjunction with the Tapah Parliamentary Constituency Aidilfitri Celebration," he told reporters after officiating the Perak Indigenous Peoples Cooperative Movement Programme organised by the Malaysian Cooperatives Commission, here today.

The Election Commission (EC) has set the polling day for the Ayer Kuning by-election on April 26, with the nomination of candidates and early voting on April 12 and 22 respectively.

The Ayer Kuning by-election was held following the death of incumbent Ishsam Shahruddin on Feb 22 due to a heart attack after participating in a football tournament at City Stadium, George Town, Penang.

Meanwhile, Saarani said BN has never doubted the loyalty of the Orang Asli community to the coalition and hopes that the group will continue to give full support in the by-election so that BN can continue to help the people.

Saarani said that the state seat has a total of 2,156 Orang Asli voters, some of whom are at the 3rd Battalion General Operations Force (PGA) Camp in Bidor.

In a similar development, he said BN is not afraid of facing any candidate including the Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) or a multi-cornered contest in the by-election.

The media previously reported that PSM deputy chairman S. Arutchelvan announced that the party would field a candidate to contest the seat which they had contested in the 15th general election, but lost, after their candidate, Bawani KS, only obtained 586 votes.

-- BERNAMA