KUANTAN, Sept 5 — Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) are expected to announce their respective candidates for the Pelangai by-election within a week before nomination day on September 23.

Pahang BN chairman Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said that the announcement of the candidate will be made on September 17 or earlier, after finalising the list with Umno president, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

"Thus far, we have six potential candidates, and we will see who is more qualified. These potential candidates are of calibre, authoritative and accepted by the local community. So we will choose the best from the good,” he said.

Wan Rosdy said this to reporters after officiating the closing ceremony of the Ulu Cheka Forest Biodiversity Scientific Expedition Seminar and celebrating the Tasik Chini’s success in retaining its United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) Biosphere Reserve status, here today.

Meanwhile, PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said that they will announce the candidate from PAS who will represent PN for the Pelangai state by-election on September 20, in a ceremony scheduled to take place in Bentong.

"We have submitted three names to the PAS Ulama Syura Council for consideration and finalisation,” said the Cheka assemblyman, when met after the Pahang State Assembly sitting at Wisma Sri Pahang, here today.

The Pelangai state by-election is being called following the death of the incumbent, Datuk Seri Johari Harun, 53, who was the state Local Government, Housing, Environment and Technology Committee chairman, in a plane crash near Bandar Elmina in Shah Alam, Selangor, on August 17.

The Election Commission (EC) set the polling day on October 7, with early voting on October 3.

In the 15th General Election (GE15) Johari won the seat with a majority of 4,048 votes, defeating PN’s Kasim Samat, who obtained 3,260 votes, Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Ahmed Wafiuddin Shamsuri (2,031 votes) and Pejuang’s Isa Ahmad (65 votes). — Bernama