The Selangor Menteri Besar’s Office has denied speculations that Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari will be shifting from his Gombak constituency to the parliamentary seat of Selayang in the upcoming 16th general election.
A spokesperson from the office told Malaysiakini that the speculation stemmed from an earlier proposal by Selayang PKR, which wanted Amirudin (above) to contest for the seat.
“There is no truth to this matter. It was merely a proposal from the Selayang division.
“The menteri besar remains committed to serving the people in Gombak and intends to defend his seat in the next general election, if and when the party leadership decides to nominate him,” the spokesperson said.
However, at least two internal party sources told Malaysiakini that the party headquarters has dispatched “scouts” who have been in the field since last month to gauge Amirudin’s chances.
“I can confirm that we have been instructed to go on the ground to obtain feedback from the Selayang constituency.
“The instruction given to us were very specific, which is to assess Amirudin’s chances in the Selayang parliamentary seat.
“A leader from Putrajaya has also been mentioned as a possible replacement for him in Gombak,” one source told Malaysiakini, without naming the leader in question.
Amirudin has been the centre of speculation after a motion was tabled at the 2026 Selayang PKR divisional annual general meeting proposing him as the 16th general election candidate for the constituency.
However, the motion failed to pass after the meeting descended into pandemonium.
Instead, the meeting approved a motion nominating Rawang assemblyperson Chua Wei Kiat, who is also Selayang PKR division chief, as PKR’s candidate for the constituency in the upcoming polls.
‘Seeking a shift’
Former Selayang PKR division chief Kamarudin Hussain confirmed that the proposal to name Amirudin came from grassroots members seeking a shift in the constituency’s political dynamics.
“This area requires experienced and credible leadership with a strong administrative track record.
“The current demographic factor in Selayang, which is now a Malay-majority constituency, calls for the presence of a major figure like Amirudin,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chua declined to comment further on the matter.
PKR’s William Leong presently holds the Selayang parliamentary seat.
The PKR treasurer-general is a veteran leader who has held the constituency since 2008.
Leong successfully defended the seat in the previous general election with a 23,619-vote majority against the main challengers from Perikatan Nasional and BN.
However, Leong is expected not to defend the seat in the next general election.
Tough seat to win?
Previously, Malaysiakini reported that an internal analysis by PKR classified Amirudin’s Gombak seat in the Tier 3 category - requiring significant intervention from the party to win.
Selayang, meanwhile, is classified as a Tier 1 stronghold alongside Bayan Baru, Ampang, Pandan, Subang, Petaling Jaya, and Batu.
It is speculated that several seat changes will be made involving prominent PKR leaders, including rumours that deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar will be moved to Bandar Tun Razak to replace Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. - Mkini
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