PUTRAJAYA: Pakatan Harapan (PH) will have a better chance of winning the Tanjung Piai by-election if the opposition decides to field an Umno candidate.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said this today while urging Barisan Nasional to actually field a candidate from the Malay-based party.
"There are many issues involved, so we are of the opinion that for us to win, we are relying on the opposition to field Umno (candidate).
"Tolong lah (Please help) us by putting an Umno candidate. If they do so, we can win," he quipped after the PH presidential Council meeting tonight, drawing laughter from the floor.
Asked how an Umno candidate could help PH win the upcoming by-election, Dr Mahathir declined to elaborate.
"There are reasons for it, but I cannot explain it now," the Parti Pribumi Bersatu (Bersatu) chairman told reporters.
The Tanjung Piai parliamentary by-election will be held on Nov 16 with a 14-day campaign period.
Nomination day for candidates will take place on Nov 2.
The Tanjung Piai parliamentary constituency was held following the death of incumbent Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik, 42, who was also Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department on Sept 21 following a heart attack.
In the 14th general election, Dr Md Farid won the parliamentary seat with a 524-vote majority over Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng and Nordin Othman from Pas.
When asked about PH's own candidate for the by-election, Dr Mahathir said the matter has yet to be decided.
However, he pointed out that the candidate will be from his party, Bersatu.