Gerakan president Dominic Lau has confirmed that his party is set to contest in the upcoming Tanjung Piai by-election.

He made the announcement at the party's central committee meeting at Gerakan's headquarters this afternoon, according to a report by The Star.

However, Lau has yet to name the chosen candidate.

"The central committee has decided that deputy president Oh Tong Keong will be the by-election machinery director, and the operations centre will be led by former Skudai assemblyperson Teo Kok Chee who is also Johor Gerakan head," he said.

Lau said that party grassroots had called for a contest as it still a political party.

Gerakan has sat out all by-elections since it left the BN coalition last June.

The seat became vacant due to the death of the incumbent, Bersatu’s Dr Md Farid Md Rafik on Sept 21.

In GE14, Farid defeated MCA's two-term incumbent Wee Jeck Seng with a slim majority of 524 votes, with 21,255 and 20,731 votes respectively. PAS’ Nordin Othman only obtained 2,962 votes.

The constituency has approximately 54,000 voters, with 57 percent Malay voters, compared with 42 percent Chinese and one percent Indians.

Tanjung Piai will be the ninth by-election since the general election last year. Nomination day will be on Nov 2 while polling day is set for Nov 16.