Mohamed Asmawi, the UMNO candidate for the Sungai Balak state seat in Malaysia, has revealed that the party has no intention of rejecting or obstructing Parti Keadilan Rakyat's (PKR) assistance in the upcoming by-election. Asmawi emphasized that as a democratic nation, there is no right to block anyone from coming in to aid the election, including PKR leaders. He suggested that PKR might actually have an advantage in understanding the situation on the ground in Sungai Balak, as 87% of the electorate is comprised of Malay voters. Asmawi maintained an open-minded attitude, stating that he has no intention of blocking PKR's assistance, and that he only remains focused on winning the hearts of the people. Earlier, PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli had denied rumors that the party would not assist UMNO in the by-election, reiterating that PKR's stance is clear: if a request is made, the party will mobilize its resources to assist; if not, it will not. Meanwhile, veteran UMNO leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah had claimed that UMNO did not need PKR's help in the by-election, sparking controversy earlier.