The element whether the candidate standing for election in any constituency is a local or someone coming from outside is only part of the victory factor, said Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari.

On the contrary, he said, the readiness of the election machinery encompassing the whole grassroots and the activities of the whole party machinery were seen to be more important in order to win in any constituency contested.

As such, he said, in the by-election for the state seat of Sungai Kandis, he would concentrate more on the planning for the party machinery in carrying out various activities to be closer to the electorate.

However, factors to feature the local candidate would remain to be evaluated and the decision would be made by the party leadership at the central level.

He disclosed this to reporters in Klang last night.

The Sungai Kandis state seat fell vacant following the death of the incumbent Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei from the PKR due to cancer on July 2.

The Election Commission fixed Aug 4 for polling day while nomination day is July 21.

In the 14th general election, Mat Shuhaimi polled 23,998 votes to beat the BN candidate from Umno, Kamaruzzaman Johari (11,518); PAS candidate Mohd Yusof Abdullah (7,573) and Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) candidate Hanafiah Husin (76).

- Bernama