KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Gerakan Malaysia (Gerakan) Datuk Dr Dominic Lau Hoe Chai has expressed confidence in his party's advantage to capture the Kuala Kubu Baharu seat in the upcoming by-election.
He said this is due to the party's experience in the previous election, during which they became aware of the public sentiment in the constituency.
"We have an advantage this time because we contested in the last state election.
"Therefore, we know that the sentiments of the people and our candidate are well known to the residents," he told the media during Gerakan's breaking fast event today.
However, Lau did not deny that there is a differences in viewpoints among Perikatan Nasional regarding the Kuala Kubu Bharu seat.
"We don't just say which candidate can win, we can discuss. Therefore, all three component parties have agreed that the candidate who can win the seat will be selected.
"Whether the candidate is from Bersatu, Pas, or Gerakan, full support will be given to the candidate chosen by Perikatan Nasional."
Lau added that he had instructed Selangor Gerakan to nominate a candidate capable of securing victory in the election.
In related news, Lau announced that Selangor Bersatu chief Datuk Seri Azmin Ali would lead the PN camp in the upcoming Kuala Kubu Bharu by-election.
This decision was made during the coalition's recent meeting.
Lau said all component parties within the coalition had been tasked with conducting studies to gather feedback and sentiments from grassroots levels.
"PN has held discussions, and we have decided that this time Azmin Ali will be the leader for the Kuala Kubu Bharu by-election.
"All component parties, Bersatu, Pas, and Gerakan, have been directed to conduct studies to obtain feedback and sentiments. "When the Election Commission announces the election later, we will release an action plan. We have our options ready to face the upcoming by-election."
Previously, Dominic said Perikatan Nasional (PN) has yet to decide on fielding a candidate in the Kuala Kubu Bharu by-election following the death of its assemblyman Lee Kee Hiong.
He was reported as saying that the opposition coalition has refrained from discussing the matter as a gesture of respect towards the late Lee, who was from DAP and who succumbed to cancer on Thursday.
Lee had beaten Gerakan's Teoh Kien Hong by a 4,119-vote majority in last year's Selangor state election.