KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 — Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim has reportedly insisted that he will defend his Arau seat despite not being named as a Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate tonight.

Utusan Malaysia reported him saying that he has yet to decide on the ticket under which he will contest the seat.

"I am a candidate who can win, I will contest. I will ask the grassroots about which ticket to contest this seat.

"I will choose a party that moves towards a national unity,” he reportedly said, adding that he has yet to deliberate on this matter.

He also slammed BN chairman and Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for naming a candidate who does not hail from Arau for the seat.

"He should quit as president for splitting the ‘ummah’,” he reportedly said, using the term for the Malay-Muslim community.

BN earlier announced Rozabil Abdul Rahman for the Arau seat.