UMNO Information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa said today the party must counter all allegations made by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad so as to prevent the people from being influenced by the claims of the former prime minister.

He said the party could not take the allegations lightly, especially when the Barisan Nasional was facing two parliamentary by-elections - in Sungai Besar, Selangor, and Kuala Kangsar, Perak.

"It is dangerous to think that it does not matter," he said, adding that in the present situation, the BN could not underestimate the voters.

"However, if we are on the side of truth, the people cannot be influenced by him," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

Annuar, who is the MP for Ketereh, said the BN should be concerned that Dr Mahathir would be helping the opposition in the two by-elections.

As such, he said, the BN machinery should work hard to ensure that the coalition retains the two seats.

"Most importantly, we have to provide explanations," he said.

The by-elections in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar are being held following the deaths of the BN MPs, Datuk Noriah Kasnon and Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad, respectively, in a helicopter crash in Sarawak on May 5.

Nominations for the by-elections are on June 5 and polling, on June 18.