TAPAH: The Perikatan Nasional (PN) will announce the candidate contesting in the Ayer Kuning state by-election after a special meeting on Thursday (March 20).

PN election director Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said that a list of potential candidates has been compiled, but the final decision will be made during the meeting.

“We have several potential candidates to consider, but no shortlist has been finalised yet. The key factor is that the candidates are local,” he told reporters after launching the PN machinery for the Ayer Kuning by-election in Tapah last night.

The Election Commission (EC) has set polling day for the state by-election on April 26, with the nomination and early voting dates for the by-election on April 12 and 22, respectively.

The Ayer Kuning state by-election is being held following the death of incumbent Ishsam Shahruddin on Feb 22 due to a heart attack after participating in the 4-corner Football Championship in Penang.

Ishsam, who has also been the Tapah Umno division chief since 2018, won the state seat in the 15th general election (GE15) in November 2022 by securing a majority of 2,213 votes in a five-cornered contest.