KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has today hinted that he will defend the Rantau state assembly seat in the upcoming state election.

"God willing, I will contest,” the politician known as Tok Mat told reporters at the Defence Ministry here.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) election director was asked following the expectation that the Election Commission (EC) will announce the date of the state election tomorrow.

When asked whether Umno has decided to field new faces in the upcoming state election, he said that the party has not decided on the details yet.

However, he said Umno will definitely field "winnable” candidates to have a strong presence in the upcoming state election.

"Screening will be done in the near future. Still waiting for the state levels to see the list of candidates brought by them and will be screened for suitability.

"The important thing is to enter this state election is to win, so a candidate who can win is important,” he added.

In the 2019 by-election, Mohamad won by a 4,510-vote majority ahead of PKR’s candidate Streram Sinnasamy.

In 2018, the Special Election Court had previously ruled Mohamad’s unopposed win in the 14th general election as null and void.

Yesterday, it was reported that EC will hold a meeting tomorrow to determine, among others, the nomination and polling dates for the six state elections.

EC secretary Datuk Ikmalrudin Ishak said the special meeting will be chaired by EC Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh tomorrow.

The state election will be held in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu.