KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 — Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today explained the reason incumbent Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim was not selected for reelection in the 15th general election.

"More than qualified, but his time has passed,” Zahid told reporters at the courthouse here when asked after his Yayasan Akalbudi corruption trial.

He was also asked for his response to Shahidan's plan to contest the Perlis parliamentary seat despite being left out of the BN GE15 candidate line-up last night. "Yes, we had made the decision that there is another candidate to replace him, and I took into account from the aspect of the needs of the local voters and Perlis,” Zahid said

BN announced Datuk Rozabil Abdul Rahman for the Arau seat last night.