Speaking at a press conference, premier Najib Abdul Razak said the sentiment and mood on the ground in Hulu Selangor now favoured the BN.

However, he said in a by-election there were a number of factors to be considered, one of them the candidate itself, unlike a general election where the nation's leadership and national issues featured very much.

"If we want to win, we have to take into account all the factors. We are in the process of assessing what do they (voters) want in terms of the BN's role as well as the candidate," he said.

NONE Asked if he was under any pressure in selecting the candidate, Najib ( right ) said he was not and that it was normal that some might not agree with the choice.

He also said that this by-election was crucial for Selangor BN as it would be a stepping stone to the process of its revival but at the national-level, it was just another by-election.

He said the convention today served to reinforce Selangor BN's commitment towards retaking the state from the Opposition in the next general election.

To a question whether he was a Malaysian or Malay first, Najib said:" I

don't want to engage in polemics about this one. I don't want to get into all this nonsense and fall into the Opposition's trap."

During the convention the BN leaders present took a pledge dubbed the "Darul Ehsan Declaration". Through it they committed to bring about a transformation so that Selangor BN would be at the forefront at being the people's champion in Selangor.

Also present were Selangor BN deputy chairman Noh Omar, MIC

president S Samy Vellu, MCA vice-president and Selangor MCA chairman Donald Lim Siang Chai, PPP president M Kayveas, Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon, BN secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and the convention's chairman, Mohd Zin Mohamed. - Bernama