Pengkalan Kubor assemblyperson Noor Zahidi Omar has passed away this morning in China, after seeking treatment for cancer which he has been suffering.

Tumpat Umno deputy chief Mohd Rosdi Ab Aziz said Noor Zahidi, 57, died at 5.45am Malaysian time.

He was confirmed to be afflicted with liver cancer last May and received treatment in Guangzhou about two weeks ago, he told Bernama today.

Mohd Rosdi said among those at his bedside were his wife Siti Mona Abdul Kadir.

Noor Zahidi is survived by his wife and 12 children.

Mohd Rosdi said Kelantan Umno chief Mustapa Mohamed, with the cooperation of the Prime Minister's Department and Foreign Ministry, was currently expediting the process of bringing back his remains for burial in Pasir Pekan, Tumpat.

Noor Zahidi had been the Pengkalan Kubor assemblyman for three terms and Tumpat Umno chief for four terms.

In last year's general election, Noor Zahidi defeated PKR candidate, Saharun Ibrahim with a 1,736-majority vote.

Nor Zahidi polled 10,174 votes against PKR's Saharun Ibrahim's 8,438 and Independent candidate Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary's 65 votes.

The Pengkalan Kubor state seat is located at the northern tip of Kelantan within the Tumpat parliamentary seat.
 
His death will pave the way for the seventh by-election after the general election.

The most recent by-election was held less than two months ago in Teluk Intan, Perak, where Gerakan chief Mah Siew Keong wrested the parliamentary seat from DAP greenhorn Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has extended condolences to the family of Noor Zahidi.

"Condolences to the family of Noor Zahidi, who passed away this morning. May God bless his soul. Al-Fatihah," Najib said in a post on his Twitter account.