The Malaysian Insider

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

BANGI, Sept 13 — Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein talked up Barisan Nasional’s chances of retaining the Bagan Pinang state seat in Negeri Sembilan by pointed out today that it was an Umno stronghold that the party would defend vigorously.

The Umno vice-president’s remarks reflected the ruling party’s underlying optimism despite the undercurrent of concern over the push for former mentri besar Tan Sri Isa Samad to be the BN candidate.

Isa appears to be BN’s likely candidate and if chosen, could provide a challenge to current MB Datuk Mohamad Hassan’s position as he has the support of a majority of Umno divisions in the state.

Hishammuddin said today that BN’s biggest concern was to ensure that everything was in place and ready for the upcoming by-election.

“In the past by-elections we may have not done so well, but the previous seats were all Pakatan Rakyat strongholds, therefore it was easy for them to retain their seats. Permatang Pauh and Permatang Pasir was Pakatan-controlled from the start,” said Hishamuddin.

Bagan Pinang is the ninth by-election since Election 2008. PR parties have won seven of the eight previous contests.

Hishammuddin refused to disclose any information regarding the choice of BN’s candidate, saying that the information would be released in due time and that it was not his place to say.

Despite the campaign for Isa to be fielded, critics have pointed out his three year suspension from Umno for vote buying would give PR fodder for their campaign.

But if Isa is not chosen, there is some concern in Umno of the possibility of internal sabotage of their campaign.

“The issue of the right candidate is extremely important. The real issue here is we want a candidate that can actually serve his constituency, making him truly a wakil rakyat.

“There is a strict criteria in selecting the best candidate, whereby background checks are done,” explained Hishamuddin while at the same time declining to elaborate further on the supposed criteria.

The Bagan Pinang seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent assemblyman Azman Mohammad Noor of BN on Sept 4. The Election Commission will meet tomorrow to determine the dates for nominations and polling.

Bagan Pinang is an Umno stronghold situated within the Teluk Kemang parliamentary constituency, represented by PKR’s Datuk Kamarul Baharin Abbas.

In the last general election Umno’s Azman Mohammad Noor won the seat, defeating PAS’ Ramli Ismail by some 2,000 votes.

There are about 14,000 voters in the constituency with the Malays making up 66 percent of the votes, Chinese 10.5 percent and Indians 19.9 percent.

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