Pas cooperates with PKR in choosing candidate

(NST) – Kedah Pas will cooperate with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) in selecting the candidate to contest the by-election for the Bukit Selambau state constituency in April.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak, who is also Kedah Pas commissioner, said the party would not interfere in the selection of the PKR candidate.

However, Pas would make suggestions and give its views if the candidate selected was not suitable so that the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) would achieve victory,” he said after presenting certificates and instruments of appointment to village and community heads, here today.

The Bukit Selambau seat fell vacant following the resignation of incumbent assemblyman V.Arumugam on Feb 9.

The Election Commission (EC) has fixed March 29 for nomination day and April 7 for polling in the event of a contest.

Azizan said the PKR top leadership would choose the candidate after discussing with all the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) component parties.

“Bukit Selambau has been allocated to the PKR. So I don’t interfere, but Pas will make suggestions if the candidate selected has a bad record,” he said.

He also said that Pas would have no objection if the PKR were to pick a non-resident of Bikut Selambau as long as the candidate was from Kedah.

On the EC decision to hold the by-election after the Umno general assembly next month, he said this would give Umno time to hold the assembly before the by-election.

“So we will have a longer time for campaigning…the longer, the better,” he said.

At the function, Azizan handed over instruments of appointment for 2,026 village and community heads to 12 District Officers.