Permatang Pauh constituents need a homegrown representative who really knows their concerns like the back of his hand, according to Sabah Umno liaison chief Datuk Seri Musa Aman.

He said Suhaimi Sabudin who is contesting for Barisan Nasional (BN) in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election had the prerequisites as he is a local.

Compared to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail who is not from Permatang Pauh, Suhaimi could conveniently meet the local people and listen to their grouses.

"So it is rational to have a local representative in Permatang Pauh, one who can serve and meet the constituents regularly," he told reporters after attending a programme at the Kampung Pertama polling centre here on Sunday night.

He said after 17 years under PKR, the parliamentary constituency had nothing to be proud about in terms of development.

Musa who is also Sabah Chief Minister cited Sabah, which had at one point been ruled by the opposition.

He said as a result, the state lagged behind in development and caused suffering to the people.

"There was no development in Sabah at the time because relations between the state government and federal government were not good.

"When Sabah returned to the BN fold, only then did the state start progressing, through a substantial allocation from the federal government," he said.

The by-election on May 7 will see four candidates, Suhaimi, Dr Wan Azizah, Azman Shah Othman (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) and Salleh Isahak (Independent) vying for the seat which had belonged to PKR since 1998.