UMNO has named party veteran leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as their Nenggiri by-election director, reported the New Straits Times.

Announcing this today, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Kelantan Umno liaison committee chairman Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub will be the by-election operations director.

“We lost the Nenggiri state seat by 810 votes in the state election last August when the then Bersatu candidate contested using the Pas logo. InsyaAllah (God willing), I announce here today in front of the media that Umno will field a candidate to contest in Nenggiri,” he said.

He was speaking at the opening of the Lipis Umno division delegates meeting at the Sultan Ahmad Shah Silver Jubilee Hall in Lipis.

He said he was confident that they could win the seat if the party worked hard and doubled its efforts.

He said the appointment of Tengku Razaleigh, who is also the Gua Musang Umno chief and Ahmad Jazlan to lead their challenge reflected how Umno values its local and state leaders.

“Hopefully, they can guide us to victory,” he said.

Zahid said all division leaders would head to Nenggiri to support the party’s candidate, and he has directed Pahang Umno to assist in the by-election.

In the Kelantan state election last August, BN’s Ab Aziz Yusoff lost to Bersatu’s Mohd Azizi Abu Naim, who contested under the PAS ticket, by a majority of 810 votes in a straight fight.

Yesterday, the Election Commission (EC) set Aug 17 for polling day, Aug 3 for the nomination of candidates, and August 13 for early voting.

The Kelantan state assembly had declared the seat vacant on June 19 after Azizi lost his Bersatu membership. – June 29, 2024.