Tanjung Piai Voters Want Malay Candidate Says Annuar Musa

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The majority of voters want a Malay candidate to contest the Nov 16 Tanjung Piai by-election, said Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa
Saying that this was based on the effort of the party's grassroots to gauge voters' mood, he added that it was up to the wisdom of BN leaders to make a decision on the matter
"The mood (among voters) is that they really want a Malay candidate
"BN needs to be brave to run a Malay candidate after consultation with MCA. We have a chance to win but if we field a Chinese candidate and our opponents field a Malay candidate, then (BN) will lose."
"So we leave it to the president to negotiate, there is no point running a candidate who is going to lose," he said when met by Malaysiakini
On Oct 1, EC chairperson Azhar Azizan Harun announced that the Tanjung Piai parliamentary by-election will be held on Nov 16 with early voting on Nov 12 and nomination day on Nov 2
The by-election is being held following the death of incumbent Dr Mohd Farid Mohd Rafik of Bersatu on Sept 21 due to heart complications
Mohd Farid, a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department and an anesthesiologist by profession, helped Pakatan Harapan wrest the seat from MCA in GE14
He received 21,255 votes to defeat Wee Jeck Seng (BN-MCA) by 524 votes. Wee received 20,731 votes while Nordin Othman of PAS bagged 2,962 votes
Meanwhile, Wee told The Malaysian Insight that he was ready to contest again
"As the MCA division chief, I have the responsibility to defend the seat and I am always ready," he said, adding that it was up to the party to make a decision and it was too early to say whether he would be nominated
However, Tanjung Piai Umno chief Jefridin Atan claimed that BN lost the seat in the last general election because MCA refused to give up its traditional seat to Umno. - Mkini

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