AS UMNO & MIC SQUABBLE OVER WHO TO TAKE ON ANWAR, NEGRI SEMBILAN ‘OVERJOYED’ AT PD NEWS – ‘ANWAR WILL BE THE FIRST MP FROM OUR STATE TO BE PM WHEN HE SUCCEEDS DR M’

SEREMBAN: The Barisan Nasional (BN) Supreme Council will decide whether or not Umno will contest against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the upcoming by-election in Port Dickson.

Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said a meeting will be held soon to look into the matter.

“It is up to PKR where they want to let DSAI (Anwar) to contest. If it is Port Dickson, then let it be.

“BN Supreme Council will decide later and if BN agrees to put any candidates, the views of the state Umno Liaison Committee and the divisions will be taken into account, before deciding on an eligible and credible candidate to contest for BN,” he said in a statement through WhatsApp, here, today.

Asked whether he himself would be contesting to represent BN as he has been speculated to be the most eligible candidate, Mohamad declined to elaborate and only replied with a ‘smiley’.

He then said, he would focus on the Rantau state seat if the court decides that a by-election should be held again in the area.

He said in his personal view, it was better for BN to place a local candidate to compete against Anwar.

Asked whether there would be a change of seats between MIC and Umno in Port Dickson, Mohamad said that it was for the BN central council to discuss. – NST

Having Anwar run in Port Dickson the right decision, says Negri MB

NEGRI Sembilan Pakatan Harapan is “overjoyed” that PKR president-elect Anwar Ibrahim will contest the Port Dickson seat, said chairman Aminuddin Harun.

The menteri besar said it was a great honour for the state, as Anwar was slated to take over from Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister.

“If this turns out to be a reality, Anwar will be the first MP from Negri Sembilan to become prime minister. We are very happy with the announcement today, that Anwar will contest the Port Dickson by-election.

“This is the right decision, and we in Negri Sembilan will go all out to ensure his victory. Just a NSTwhile ago, I was asked to form an election committee, which I will be doing tomorrow, to set the machinery in place,” he told a press conference in Seremban today.

Incumbent MP Danyal Balagopal Abdullah, of PKR, earlier today announced that he was giving up the seat to pave the way for Anwar to re-enter Parliament. – Bernama

NST / BERNAMA