PUTRAJAYA, Nov 24 (Bernama) -- The Barisan Nasional (BN) will not be fielding Jerlun Member of Parliament Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir as the candidate for the Kota Siputeh seat in the event a by-election is held for it, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Muhyiddin, who is also Barisan Nasional deputy chairman, said this did not mean Mukhriz was not suitable but it was because the BN wanted to give a local the chance to be the candidate.
He said Mukhriz could help in campaigning as he was well received by voters in Kota Siputeh, which is a state seat under the Jerlun parliamentary constituency.
Muhyiddin told this to reporters after chairing a meeting of the National Minerals Council here Tuesday.
He had been asked about talk that Mukhriz, who is also Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister, would be the BN's candidate for the seat if a by-election was held for it.
On the appeals filed by the Umno assemblyman for Kota Siputeh and the Election Commission (EC) seeking a stay of the order issued by the High Court for the EC to call a by-election for the seat, Muhyiddin said : "We will have to wait for the decision, we cannot pre-empt anything."
However, Muhyiddin said the BN was prepared for any eventuality and that the coalition was confident of defending the seat.
The applications by the EC and Kota Siputeh assemblyman Datuk Abu Hassan Sharif for a stay of the High Court ruling declaring the Kota Siputeh state seat vacant will be heard by the Court of Appeal here this afternoon.
On Nov 16, Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin delivered a landmark decision declaring the seat vacant after ruling that Abu Hassan was no longer holding the seat following his failure to attend two consecutive meetings of the state assembly without leave.
Muhyiddin, who is also Barisan Nasional deputy chairman, said this did not mean Mukhriz was not suitable but it was because the BN wanted to give a local the chance to be the candidate.
He said Mukhriz could help in campaigning as he was well received by voters in Kota Siputeh, which is a state seat under the Jerlun parliamentary constituency.
Muhyiddin told this to reporters after chairing a meeting of the National Minerals Council here Tuesday.
He had been asked about talk that Mukhriz, who is also Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister, would be the BN's candidate for the seat if a by-election was held for it.
On the appeals filed by the Umno assemblyman for Kota Siputeh and the Election Commission (EC) seeking a stay of the order issued by the High Court for the EC to call a by-election for the seat, Muhyiddin said : "We will have to wait for the decision, we cannot pre-empt anything."
However, Muhyiddin said the BN was prepared for any eventuality and that the coalition was confident of defending the seat.
The applications by the EC and Kota Siputeh assemblyman Datuk Abu Hassan Sharif for a stay of the High Court ruling declaring the Kota Siputeh state seat vacant will be heard by the Court of Appeal here this afternoon.
On Nov 16, Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin delivered a landmark decision declaring the seat vacant after ruling that Abu Hassan was no longer holding the seat following his failure to attend two consecutive meetings of the state assembly without leave.
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