Barisan Nasional (BN) will hold to the principle 'lawan tetap lawan' (keep on fighting) even though the coalition has yet to finalise the candidate for the upcoming Kajang state by-election, Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said although the seat was traditionally allocated to MCA, the power to make the final decision on the candidate was still in the hand of BN chairperson and that it would be finalised at the BN supreme council meeting scheduled to be held soon.

"We will support whoever fielded by BN, even though the candidate is from the party that contested in the last general election.

"We will keep on fighting because whoever contested against BN in any by-elections before the 14th general election is and will be deemed as BN's political enemy," he told reporters after closing the Selangor National Economic Empowerment Seminar 2014 at Universiti Teknologi Mara in Shah Alam yesterday.

Also present was Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan, who is also Umno information chief.

The Kajang state seat was left vacant after its incumbent Lee Chin Cheh of PKR tendered his resignation as the state assemblyman on Jan 27.

On Jan 28, PKR named its de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim as the candidate for the by-election.

- Bernama