SERDANG: Barisan Nasional (BN) will respect Pakatan Harapan's (PH) tradition to contest in the Sungai Bakap by-election and pledged support to help its candidate to win the polls.
Its secretary-general, Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir, said if the candidate were to come from a PH component party, BN was committed to providing unwavering support to ensure that the unity government's candidate secured a victory in the by-election.
"All parties in this government will provide solid cooperation in ensuring the success of our candidates," he said after attending the launch of the food security blueprint in Universiti Putra Malaysia here today.
Present were Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, Higher Education director-general Professor Dr Azlinda Azman and UPM Vice-Chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah.
As for who BN would propose as its candidate, he said the matter had yet to be discussed.
"Once it has been agreed upon, it will be announced. We understand that the area has already been designated for one of the candidates from the unity government.
"While we acknowledge the area's previous affiliation with PH, so we will respect that tradition. The most important thing is the spirit of unity," he said.
The Sungai Bakap by-election was triggered by the death of opposition assemblyman Nor Zamri Latiff of Pas on May 24. The Election Commission (EC) has fixed July 6 for the by-election.
PKR used to hold the Sungai Bakap state seat for three consecutive terms until last year's state elections.