PKR to name candidate tomorrow, confusion in BN camp
(Free Malaysia Today) – PKR would announce its candidate for the Hulu Selangor parliamentary by-election at the Serandah community hall tomorrow.
The event will be attended by PKR supremo and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, DAP secretatry-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, ousted Perak menteri besar Mohamed Nizar Jamaluddin and several others.
Anwar is expected to name former law minister Zaid Ibrahim as the Pakatan Rakyat candidate for the seat, which fell vacant following the death of PKR incumbent Zainal Abidin Ahmad.
Zaid, a former Umno member and Kota Baru MP, joined PKR last year.
In 2008, he had resigned as law minister after disagreeing with the government’s decision to detain three people, an opposition leader, a popular blogger and a journalist under the Internal Security Act.
Sources also claimed that Zaid would be the best man for the job since it is a Malay-majority seat, and furthermore he is well-known among the Chinese and Indian voters.
“There is a lot of respect for Zaid. He might not be a local, but the voters know that in him, they would have a credible and respectable representative in Parliament,” said a PKR grassroots leader.
Previously, it was speculated that Hulu Selangor PKR division treasurer and nuerosurgeon Dr Halili Rahmat would be the candidate, among several others shortlisted.
