Barisan Nasional (BN) is already in ‘fifth gear’ in its campaign for the Slim state by-election, said BN chairman, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid said, BN's candidate Mohd Zaidi Aziz, 43, has been instructed to intensify his campaign and visit all houses in the Slim area.

He noted that the challenges from independent candidates at the by-election were different from Chini by-election, in July.

“It is quite different from the independent candidate in the Chini by-election because at that time the candidate had left Bersatu and did not have any support.

"However, all the constraints and problems in Slim will be faced head-on because the entire top leadership of UMNO and BN have shown commitment to ensure victory to the BN candidate," he told reporters at a meet and greet programme in Besout 3 here, yesterday.

The Slim state by-election on Aug 29 will witness BN’s Mohd Zaidi and two Independent candidates Amir Khusyairi, of the yet-to-be registered Parti Pejuang Tanahair (Pejuang), 38, and S. Santhasekaran, 44, contesting in a three-cornered fight.

On Aug 7, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced the formation of a new party known as Pejuang, which is not aligned either to Pakatan Harapan (PH) or Perikatan Nasional (PN) and with Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir as its president.

Yesterday, Pejuang pro-tem leaders have submitted an application to the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to register the party. - BERNAMA