SEREMBAN: Barisan Nasional (BN) has yet to decide whether it will be fielding a candidate in the upcoming Sandakan parliamentary by-election on May 11.
BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said a meeting would be held immediately on the matter.
Nomination day for the Sandakan by-election has been set for April 27 with polling day on May 11.
“We will try to discuss as soon as possible because we used to have represented component parties there... the LDP (Liberal Democratic Party), but the party is no longer in BN.
“So we will see first whether BN will field a candidate in the by-election,” he told reporters after meeting the public at Pasar Pekan, here, today.
The Sandakan parliamentary by-election is being held following the death of its incumbent Datuk Stephen Wong Tien Fatt due to a heart attack on March 28.
Recently, Sabah Umno liaison chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin had said that the party would not be fielding a candidate in the by-election, but would be willing to help candidates from the Opposition including PAS, if they were to contest.
Sabah Pas commissioner Mohd Aminuddin Aling had, earlier this month, said the party was ready to field a candidate but the final decision would be made following discussions with several quarters.
BN, in particular Umno, have been working closely with PAS in several by-elections following the 14th general election and it is more than likely that, should PAS decide to contest Sandakan, BN would not field a candidate and instead work to support PAS.