The trio are Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani, who serves as Kelantan Umno information chief and Gua Musang youth chief, Gua Musang Umno information chief Amran Arifin, and Gua Musang Wanita Umno chief Nor Fadzlete Aryani Mat Rosli.

According to Berita Harian, they were shortlisted during a Gua Musang Umno meeting last night.

The list is expected to be presented at Kelantan Umno’s meeting tonight.

The Malay daily quoted Kelantan Umno chief Zawawi Othman as confirming the agenda for tonight’s meeting.

“We will certainly choose a local candidate who can serve the electorate,” he said, adding that the list of candidates will be submitted to the party’s top leadership for approval.

“As long as the list of candidates is approved by Gua Musang Umno, we won’t have any issues.”

He also said the meeting will discuss campaign strategies for the by-election.

Yesterday, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that the party will be putting up a candidate in the by-election.

The deputy prime minister also announced that former Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has been appointed as the by-election director while Kelantan Umno chief and Felcra chairman Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub has been appointed as the by-election operations director.

The Election Commission has set nomination day for Aug 3 and early voting on Aug 13.

The seat was declared vacant by Kelantan assembly speaker Amar Abdullah on June 19 after the assemblyman, Azizi Abu Naim, lost his Bersatu membership.