UMNO is not ruling out the possibility of fielding an outsider in the Sungai Kandis by-election, said president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“We discussed the upcoming Sungai Kandis by-election, but have not decided on anything yet.

“On the candidate, we may look at those from outside Umno,” he said after chairing the first Supreme Council meeting following the June 30 party polls.

The seat fell vacant after its assemblyman, 50-year-old Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei, died of cancer on Monday.

In the 14th general election, PKR’s Shuhaimi defeated Kamaruzzaman Johari (Barisan Nasional) and Mohd Yusof Abdullah (PAS) with a 12,480-vote majority.

On another matter, Zahid said he respects the decision of the three Kedah BN assemblymen who voted for a speaker from Pakatan Harapan today.

“I respect their decision. They decided to do that after Kedah Umno gave its approval. That decision was a party decision.”

The three BN reps, along with 15 PH assemblymen, voted to appoint Ahmad Kassim as state speaker.

There had been concerns that the appointment would be a difficult one as the state assembly is split between 18 PH, 15 PAS and 3 BN assemblymen.

If the assembly had been unable to appoint a speaker, state polls would have to be called. – July 4, 2018.