PETALING JAYA: PKR Deputy President Azmin Ali has been fairly evasive on his party’s plans to deal with Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) and PAS in the by-elections in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar on June 18.
According to a report by Malay Mail Online, Azmin was tight-lipped when asked by reporters in Parliament today about PKR’s plans to deal with its allies, who are seeking to contest in both the by-elections.
Azmin said that a decision would be made by nomination day on June 5.
“We will discuss at the Pakatan Harapan presidential council. All decisions need to be made there. The nomination is on the 5th. We still have ample time,” he told reporters.
Azmin insisted that “negotiations were ongoing” when asked if PKR and PAS had decided on a game plan for the by-elections.
He declined to entertain questions on the repeated postponement of the presidential council meeting.
“How long do you suggest it take?” he asked in return.
Bernama reported that Azmin said he had never met PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang to discuss the candidate, but had already met with PAS Deputy President Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, PAS Election
Director Mustafa Ali and the political secretary to the PAS president, Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, to discuss the issue.
Meanwhile, Malaysiakini quoted PKR President Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as saying there was still room for negotiations with PAS in relation to the by-elections.
“There is still time to manoeuvre for the betterment of the people.”
It was reported earlier that Pakatan member Amanah, which is a PAS splinter party, had short-listed its president, Mohamad Sabu, to contest the Sungai Besar seat.
Amanah Communications Director Khalid Samad told reporters that discussions with PAS would not yield any results.
He said Amanah felt it was difficult for PKR to contest against PAS in the by-elections as both parties had maintained cordial relations.
He said the party’s Deputy President Salahuddin Ayub and former Perak Menteri Besar Nizar Jamaluddin were also among those listed as candidates for the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar parliamentary by-elections.
“They are among the candidates mentioned. We have many other names but they have yet to be decided,” he told Bernama at the Parliament lobby here.
Bernama also reported that DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng had a different stand and stressed that the party had closed its doors for any discussion with PAS on both the by-elections.
“The DAP is not having any talks with PAS,” said the Bagan Member of Parliament.