KUALA KANGSAR: Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has given his assurance that Umno will contest in Kuala Kangsar if a by-election is called at the parliamentary constituency or in the next general election.
The Deputy Prime Minister, who is also Umno president, gave this assurance based on the 'formula' that the party's candidate obtained the second-highest number of votes for the seat in the last general election.
Zahid, however, jokingly warned that there would be consequences if the Kuala Kangsar Umno division failed to reclaim the seat in future elections, even after fulfilling the division's wish to field a local-born candidate.
"I want Umno to contest if there is a by-election in Kuala Kangsar.
"If this time, the Umno candidate from Kuale (local slang for Kuala Kangsar) fails to win the seat, I will throw you out and pull you to Bagan Datuk.
"So, promise me that if I place an Umno candidate, that candidate must win in both the parliamentary and state elections," he said in his speech when he launched the Kuala Kangsar Umno division's meeting here today (July 8).
Present were Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr. Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, Perak Umno liaison committee deputy chairman Datuk Azian Osman, and Kuala Kangsar Umno division chief Datuk Maslin Sham Razman.
The Kuala Kangsar parliamentary seat is currently held by Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid, whose membership in Bersatu has been revoked by the party for declaring his support for the unity government.
During the 15th General Election (GE-15) in 2022, Iskandar won Kuala Kangsar by securing a majority of 3,566 votes, defeating three other contenders, including Maslin.
Iskandar polled 14,380 votes, while Maslin received 10,814 votes.
The other two candidates in the GE-15 contest were Dr Ahmad Termizi Ramli of Pakatan Harapan and Dr Yusmalia Mohamad Yusof of Pejuang, who obtained 10,356 votes and 204 votes respectively.
Last month, Bersatu submitted notices to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker's office regarding on the status of its six MPs, including Iskandar, whose memberships have been revoked by the party.
The notice, which declared the vacancies for the six parliamentary seats, was submitted in accordance with Article 49A of the Federal Constitution and signed by Bersatu vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee.