Kelantan Umno today called for a stop to speculation on who will be the Barisan Nasional's (BN) candidate for the upcoming Pengkalan Kubor by-election.

Its Mustapa Mohamed said for now, Kelantan Umno was not thinking about the candidate but was only activating its election machinery for the by-election.

"I will update the situation in the state constituency to the Umno president and deputy president as well as the Umno supreme council first, and only after that will the subject of candidate be brought up.

"We do not have a shortlist of candidates as yet and what we are doing now is going down to the ground to connect with the voters," he told reporters during a visit to the state constituency today.

Mustapa, who is also international trade and industry minister, said it was important that Umno fielded someone who would be close to the hearts of the people just like the incumbent, the late Noor Zahidi (left), 57, who died on Wednesday of liver cancer, thus necessitating the by-election.

Noor Zahidi was a three-term assemblyman of Pengkalan Kubor and also Tumpat Umno chief for four terms.

In the last general election held in May last year, he defeated Saharun Ibrahim of PKR and independent candidate Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary by a majority of 1,736 votes.

In Raub, Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, speaking to reporters after attending Raub Umno's Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings' delegates meeting, said Wanita Umno would go all out to assist Kelantan Umno to retain the seat.

- Bernama