UMNO has yet to come to a decision on the Port Dickson by-election, the party’s secretary-general Annuar Musa said following several statements by its leaders and MPs, the New Straits Times reported.

He told the daily that a decision would only be made after a political bureau meeting and thereafter, a discussion at the Barisan Nasional coalition level.

“Whatever statements or views made by BN leaders or Umno’s on the by-election are considered personal opinions,” Annuar reportedly said.

Umno’s political bureau will meet on September 24. 

Annuar was responding to several statements by Umno leaders and MPs about the by-election paving the way for PKR’s Anwar Ibrahim to return to Parliament and eventually succeed Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister.

Umno’s Padang Rengas MP Nazri Aziz had said he would campaign for PKR as supporting Anwar would be beneficial to Umno and could help it return to power.

His statement conflicted with that of Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan, who said the party should give Anwar a tough fight in the by-election.

Arau MP Shahidan Kassim, meanwhile, said he also supported Anwar as the next prime minister, while Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin said BN should pick a local candidate for the seat. – September 15, 2018.

BN president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi pulling PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang into a hug at the Islamist party’s muktamar in Kuala Terengganu today. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, September 15, 2018.