KOTA BARU: Two largest political parties in Kelantan, Umno and Pas, are gearing up to face the Nenggiri state seat by-election, which has been fixed for polling in August.
Umno's state information chief Datuk Zawawi Othman said the party has started preparations to contest in its efforts to capture the seat from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) pact.
"Kelantan Umno has started making preparations after the Nenggiri state seat was declared vacant.
"With that said, we are ready to face the battle and our machineries from all levels, are told to be prepared to be deployed to Nenggiri," he said.
Umno, he said, may contest at the seat and is prepared to field the best candidate for the by-election.
"We will do everything in our power and leave it to the voters of Nenggiri to decide," he added.
Pas vice-president Datuk Mohd Amar Abdullah said all party's election machinery is already on the stand-by to ensure PN will retain the seat.
"We have expected that there will be by-election in Nenggiri because the vacancy (for the seat) that l have announced on June 19 following the anti-hopping law which was approved in Parliament in 2022," Mohd Amar, who is the Panchor assemblyman, said.
The Election Commission (EC) has fixed Aug 17 for the Nenggiri by-election.
Its chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun said the nomination of candidates for the state seat by-election would be held on Aug 3, while early voting is set for Aug 13.
The election was called after the Kelantan state assembly declared the seat vacant on June 19.
During the Kelantan state election in August last year, PN, through Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia's (Bersatu) Mohd Azizi Mohd Naim, wrested the seat from BN after he obtained a majority of 810 votes.
Azizi, who is also Gua Musang member of Parliament, polled 6,517 votes to defeat Ab Aziz Yusoff of BN, who received, 5,707 votes, in a straight fight at the state seat.
In November last year, Azizi declared his support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the unity government.
He is among the seven Bersatu elected representatives whose membership have been revoked by the party for declaring support for Anwar and unity government.