KIMANIS POLLS | PAS has thrown its support behind Umno in the upcoming Kimanis by-election.

Its secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said his party will mobilise in support of Umno.

"PAS fully supports Umno's move, representing BN, to put a candidate in the Kimanis by-election to be held on Jan 18, 2020," he said in a statement.

Takiyuddin said this was based on the fact that BN had won the seat in the last general election.

"PAS confirms that president Abdul Hadi Awang will attend the launch of the BN machinery in Kimanis on Jan 1, 2020.

"PAS will also send its senior leaders, particularly from Sabah and Sarawak, to attend the nomination day on Jan 4 to support the opposition's candidate from BN.

"PAS will also mobilise its election machinery in Sabah to assist the BN candidate in the by-election to ensure Kimanis remains in the hands of the opposition," he added.

Kimanis was won by former minister Anifah Aman (photo) under a BN ticket in the 2018 general election.

Anifah later quit Umno and remained an independent.

However, the Federal Court upheld an Election Court ruling that nullified Anifah's win due to "discrepancies in the conduct of the election process and widespread non-compliance of election laws" based on an election petition brought by his defeated opponent, Warisan's Karim Bujang. 

Party-less Anifah had said he will not contest the by-election and will instead make his come back in the 15th general election.

He had won by only 156 votes in the last general election, garnering 11,942 votes to Warisan's 11,786 votes.

A third candidate, Harapan Rakyat's Jaafar Ismail, won 1,300 votes.