Preparations for Pengkalan Kubor by-election already started - Muhyiddin

He said Kelantan Umno chief Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed had taken the initiative to make early preparations for the by-election.

"What is important is early preparations such as activating the election machinery at the state and district levels, and this has been done," he told reporters after opening Permatang Pauh Umno delegates conference here Sunday.

He said the early preparations had to be made before a decision was made on who would represent Umno and BN in the by-election.

The Pengkalan Kubor by-election is necessitated following the death of its incumbent, Datuk Noor Zahidi Omar, 57, from the BN, of liver cancer on Wednesday.

Noor Zahidi was a three-term assemblyman of Pengkalan Kubor and also Tumpat Umno chief for four terms.

In the last general election held in May last year, he defeated Saharun Ibrahim of PKR and independent candidate Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary by a majority of 1,736 votes.

Meanwhile, asked about the resolution by Wanita Umno that the party leadership consider an additional vice-president's seat for it, Muhyiddin said the proposal had not yet been fully discussed by Umno's leaders.

"Wanita Umno is still clarifying it," he said, adding that the matter would be studied by Umno's Constitution Committee, which is chaired by Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, as it would require amendments to the party constitution.