Penanti not an election provided for by Constitution

By V.Vasudevan and Adrian David, NST

Najib: Barisan prefers to meet people's needs.

Barisan Nasional will not contest the Penanti by-election in Penang as it is not an election provided for by the Constitution.

BN chief Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the coalition's supreme council made the no-contest decision unanimously.

"The supreme council felt that the by-election came about owing to the internal problem of the (opposition) party. This by-election is for them (PKR) to settle their internal problems.

"This appears to be a political game by them. This has nothing to do with constitutional provisions. So, we have decided not to field a candidate," said Najib after chairing the BN supreme council two-hour meeting here yesterday. It was his first since becoming prime minister.
He had earlier defined constitutional requirement as a by-election brought about by death or any other valid reason.

Najib said the BN was more concerned with serving the people's needs and in stimulating economic recovery.

"We don't want to succumb to their political game. Now it's Penanti. Another day, there will be more such by-elections."

The by-election is being called after incumbent and deputy chief minister I, Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin resigned, following allegations of graft over sand mining. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission later said there was insufficient grounds for prosecution.

The Election Commission has set nomination for May 23, with polling on May 31.

Najib noted that the decision not to contest in Penanti was not a first for the coalition.

"I have been told that the BN had not contested once before."

The BN had not contested the Mengelembu by-election back in the 1970s after the Election Commission declared the seat vacant when incumbent Fan Yew Teng was found guilty of a sedition charge.

The then prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak, decided not to field a candidate to prove to the opposition that the BN was not behind the Election Commission's decision.

Najib said the BN would face the Penanti voters at the next general election. The prime minister dismissed claims that BN was scared of a contest.

He assured voters in Penanti that the BN would continue to serve the rakyat there although it was not seeking to represent them in the forced by-election.

Najib was confident Umno members would understand and accept the BN supreme council's decision.

"The party's interest is supreme. They (members) will understand," he said, alluding to the groundwork already carried out by Umno Penang members to contest in the by-election.

On Perak, Najib said the supreme council had decided to let the matter to be played out in the courts.

"Even the opposition has taken the matter to the courts. Let's wait for the matter to be settled there first."

He said any plan to discuss the matter with Pakatan Rakyat could only be done after the legal process is settled.

"We don't want any decision to jeopardise the legal process."

On the possibility of the state legislative assembly convening an emergency sitting to put an end to the current impasse, Najib said it was up to the state government.

"It is up to them and the sultan."

Najib said the BN supreme council did not discuss the current infighting in the People's Progressive Party.

"That is an internal matter of the party," he said of the sacking of PPP supreme council member Datuk T. Murugiah.

Murugiah, a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department, has challenged his party president Datuk M. Kayveas to a straight fight for the PPP presidency.

He has also insisted that he would remain a PPP member, claiming that his sacking was illegal.