Kuala Kangsar residents should reject leaders who make seasonal appearances, especially during elections, including at the Kuala Kangsar by-election, said UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

He said leaders who appear during the election season do not have an agenda to bring about development for the people in the region instead they are only interested in getting the people's support to be in power.

"The sincerity of their actions are questionable because they appear at the by-election and argue on various issues," he told reporters after a meet the people programme and gotong-royong to repair the house of a single mother in Kampung Bendang Kering here, yesterday.

Hishammuddin was commenting on the appearance of former Kuala Kangsar Wanita UMNO division chief Datuk Kamelia Ibrahim, at a Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) programme earlier.

"They just turn up promising all sorts of things besides hurling various accusations. Where were they while Barisan Nasional (BN) was working to give basic facilities and services to the public?"

Hishammuddin, who is also Defence Minister, said people should always remember and reject such selfish leaders.

The Kuala Kangsar parliamentary by-election will be held on June 18 following the death of its MP Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Annuar Wan Ahmad in a helicopter crash in Sebuyau, Sarawak, on May 5.

READ: Sebuyau helicopter crash: Preliminary report released

The by-election will see a four-cornered fight between BN, PAS, Amanah and an independent candidate.