UMNO will give its full commitment to assist Pakatan Harapan’s candidate in the upcoming Sungai Bakap state by-election in Penang.

Ahmad Maslan said he and fellow Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom went to Sungai Bakap on Tuesday (June 4) to meet the Nibong Tebal Umno and PKR leadership and discuss election strategies.

“Umno will support the Pakatan candidate in Sungai Bakap. This decision was made during the war room meeting, of which I am the secretariat head,” he said at a press conference in Butterworth on Tuesday.

All parties in the Penang unity government unanimously agreed on Monday (June 3) that a PKR candidate will represent the coalition in the by-election.

The state seat fell vacant following the May 24 death of its incumbent, Nor Zamri Latiff of PAS, due to stomach inflammation.

The Election Commission (EC) will hold a special meeting on Thursday (June 6) to discuss key dates for the by-election. – Bernama