UMNO will decide this afternoon if it wants to contest in the Port Dickson parliamentary by-election, which will be held on October 13.

The decision will be made at the party’s political bureau meeting at 2pm today, said Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan.

The outcome will then be discussed at the Barisan Nasional level tomorrow, he was reported as saying in Umno Online today.

“Everyone’s views will be considered… to consider if BN should contest in this forced by-election,” he said.

PAS said today that it would contest in the by-election if Umno decided not to field a candidate against PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

Malay daily Berita Harian also reported that Umno may not contest in the by-election, opting instead to work on building the party.

The chairman of Umno’s council of advisers, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, had earlier advised the party to stay out of the by-election.

He said the people’s negative perception of the party had not improved and election worker morale was low after the beating Umno took in the May 9 general election.

The Election Commission set October 13 as polling day after incumbent MP Danyal Balagopal Abdullah vacated the seat to make way for Anwar Ibrahim to return to Parliament.

Independent Stevie Chan Keng Leong has confirmed his candidacy, while Parti Rakyat Malaysia has indicated it will contest the seat.

The seat has been traditionally contested by MIC under the BN banner, but the party has decided not to contest in this by-election.

PKR has held this seat since 2008 general election. – September 24, 2018.