TAIPING, 11 Feb 2009: Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said several names have been identified as Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat.
He would be meeting Deputy Prime Minister and Perak BN chairperson Datuk Seri Najib Razak to discuss the candidate list.
“However, we need to gather feedback from the grassroots before relaying them to the party leadership,” he told reporters after a closed-door meeting of Bukit Gantang BN here today.
Present include Bukit Gantang Umno chief Datuk Rosli Husin, Wanita Gerakan chief and Gerik MP Datuk Tan Lian Hoe, the former Bukit Gantang MP and Bukit Gantang MCA chief Datuk Ho Cheng Wang.
It discussed the party machinery’s preparation for the Bukit Gantang by-election following the death of its MP Roslan Shaharum of PAS on 9 Feb.
In the general election last year, Roslan beat BN’s Datuk Seri Azim Mohd Zabidi, the Umno treasurer and M.Murganan, an independent with a 1,566 vote majority.
“Bukit Gantang Umno wants the BN candidate to be a local Umno man who is accepted by the people. We want to avoid past mistakes,” he added.
He said the choice of BN party would not pose a problem as Bukit Gantang parliamentary and the three state seats of Kuala Sepetang, Changkat Jering and Trong had been traditional Umno seats.
Bukit Gantang has 55,471 voters comprising 63.48% Malay Malaysians, 26.77% Chinese Malaysians, 9.71% Indians and 0.4 percent others.
On the voters’ sentiments in Perak, Zambry said he was optimistic that they could evaluate which party which could bring change and ensure stability. — Bernama
