Anwar: PAS to contest Kuala Besut
(The Malay Mail Online) – PAS will contest in the decisive Kuala Besut by-election in Terengganu, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (picture) announced yesterday.
According to a report by news portal Sinar Harian, Anwar confirmed the decision during a press conference at Parliament yesterday.
“Yes, it will be PAS candidate. I believe the state PKR chief has already explained this, and the state PKR has also agreed,” Anwar was quoted as saying in the report.
He added that the choice of candidate will be also made by PAS.
“We will leave it to PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang to make the decision,” Anwar was quoted as saying in the report. “I have spoken to Hadi, and we will give them our utmost support.”
Yesterday, PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu said Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders will meet to decide whether they will boycott the by-election as suggested by the DAP.
“We are going to discuss in the coming Pakatan meeting and will make a decision,” Mohamad, popularly known as Mat Sabu, told The Malay Mail Online yesterday.
PAS central working committee member Khalid Samad, however, dismissed the DAP’s boycott suggestion.
“No boycott. Lawan tetap lawan (keep on fighting),” Khalid told The Malay Mail Online yesterday.
PKR deputy president Azmin Ali yesterday also said his party was fully behind PAS contesting the seat.
The Kuala Besut state seat in Terengganu fell vacant after Barisan Nasional (BN) representative Dr A. Rahman Mokhtar died last Wednesday from lung cancer, triggering a by-election that will decide the fate of the administration of the east coast state.
BN and PR currently hold 16 and 15 seats respectively in the 32-seat state legislative assembly in Terengganu.
If PAS wins the Kuala Besut by-election, Terengganu will have the country’s first hung assembly in history. The Islamist party ruled Terengganu for one term from 1999 to 2004.
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