Independent candidate may contest for Bukit Gelugor by-election - PM

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has accepted the MCA's decision not to contest the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary by-election but it does not mean that the DAP will have an easy passage.

The prime minister said another candidate would likely join the fray and the decision would be made in due course.

Asked whether the candidate would be from another Barisan Nasional (BN) component party, he said: "Not from the components but other parties maybe contest as Independents and so forth. We will decide later," he told Malaysian reporters after attending the 24th Asean Summit here Sunday.

On Saturday, MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan announced that the MCA would not be fielding a candidate in the by-election as it wanted to focus on thwarting PAS' plan to table a Private Member Bill on hudud (Islamic Penal Code) in the Dewan Rakyat.

Najib, who is also BN chairman, said MCA was undergoing a consolidation process to enable it to be stronger and more respected.

"I hope MCA will continue to focus on strengthening itself as a political party and BN component," he said.