SHANGHAI, May 27 — Barisan Nasional (BN), especially Umno, has given its assurance that it will mobilise its machinery for the Sungai Bakap state constituency by-election, regardless of the candidate to be fielded to represent the unity government.

Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is BN chairman and Umno president, said that the unity government has not detailed the suitable candidates to be fielded for the state by-election.

"We found that the formula we use is that any political party in the unity government coalition, which obtained second position (in the state election results in August last year), will field the candidate.

"However, BN, especially Umno, will mobilise the machinery in the Sungai Bakap state election, regardless of who will be fielded as the candidate by the unity government,” he told the Malaysian media here, today.

Ahmad Zahid, who is currently on an official visit to China, said this after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding, memorandum of agreement and letter of intent, respectively, between SKS Coach Builders Sdn Bhd (SKS) and CRRC Corporation; MARA Liner and SKS; as well as MARA Corp and China Electrical Equipment Group.

The Sungai Bakap state seat is vacant following the death of its incumbent, Nor Zamri Latiff, on May 24 due to stomach inflammation.

Nor Zamri, 56, who was also Nibong Tebal PAS chief, contested the state elections against Pakatan Harapan candidate, Nurhidayah Che Rose, from PKR, in August last year, and won with a majority of 1,563, after securing 15,433 votes. — Bernama