BAGAN DATUK, July 18 – UMNO President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party will defend the Slim State Assembly (DUN) seat.

“Due to previous victory of UMNO assemblyman who represented Barisan Nasional (BN), it is the duty of the party to defend the Slim state seat,” he said when answering a media question after a special meeting with Bagan Datuk Division Committee Members here today.

Prior to that, Zahid also took the opportunity to visit and listen to a briefing on the construction of the Tuminah Hamidi Mosque.

Regarding the selection of candidates, Zahid who is also the BN chairman, said that the party would definitely choose the best local candidate on the basis of division and state proposal.

“We have to finalise any candidate because Perhubungan Negeri (UMNO Perak) has not submitted its name to me as the BN Chairman but we will take into account the views of UMNO and BN Tanjung Malim, especially the Branches and Voting District Centers.

“We will also consider the best candidate this time to replace the late Datuk Mohd Khusairi Abd Talib. I believe priority should be given to local candidates,” said the Member of Parliament for Bagan Datuk.

He also added that the BN machinery is now preparing to face the state seat by-election.

For the record, Slim ADUN, Mohd Khusairi, 59, was confirmed dead due to a heart attack at 4.15 pm at Bentong Hospital after suddenly fainting while playing golf at Awana Genting Highlands Golf and Country Resort around 2.30 pm last Wednesday.

Khusairi has been the Slim assemblyman for four terms since 2004 and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.