PETALING JAYA: The Umno Veterans Club has told DAP to refrain from participating in the Nenggiri by-election campaign.

Its secretary-general, Datuk Mustapha Yaakub, acknowledged DAP's intent to assist Barisan Nasional (BN) in gaining Orang Asli support but argued that the party would be ineffective since the Orang Asli in Nenggiri are 'Malay-speaking Muslim Bumiputera.'

He also warned that DAP's presence might confuse voters and be exploited by the opposition, potentially harming BN's campaign.

"Therefore, it would be better for DAP's machinery not to join the campaign", Mustapha said in a statement.

Previously, BN had dismissed a false statement purportedly from coalition chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, which claimed that certain allies were barred from speaking at rallies

Zahid described the letter as a political manoeuvre to divide the unity government and welcomed any help for the upcoming by-election.

However, Umno's Nenggiri by-election director Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah also requested that DAP stay away, citing the constituency's supposed "100 per cent Malay '' demographic as the reason.

On July 18, Umno Kelantan liaison committee chairman Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakob announced that state Umno Youth chief Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani is BN's candidate for the seat.

The Nenggiri by-election will have its nomination day on Aug 3 and polling on Aug 17.

The seat became vacant following the cessation of Azizi Abu Naim's membership in Bersatu on June 13 after he pledged support for prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in November of last year.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/politics/2024/07/1081912/dap-told-stay-away-nenggiri-election-campaign