KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is optimistic that Barisan Nasional (BN) will retain the Rompin parliamentary seat in the upcoming by-election on May 5 without any problem.
He said this was because BN had strong support from voters in the area, which had been held by the late Tan Sri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis since 1990.
“In Rompin, I feel the support for BN is still there. It will be interesting to know the margin of victory this time,” he told reporters at an international forum ‘Engaging the young to criminalise war and energize peace’ at the Putra World Trade Centre, here today.
The Rompin parliamentary by-election is being held following the death of incumbent Jamaluddin in a helicopter crash in Semenyih on April 4.
Yesterday, BN named acting Rompin UMNO chief Datuk Hasan Arifin, 62, as its candidate. --BERNAMA