DAP has proposed that its Pakatan Rakyat allies, in particular PAS, boycott the Kuala Besut by-election as a sign of protest against the Election Commission's (EC) lackadaisical attitude towards addressing electoral fraud.
Speaking to reporters in Kulai, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said that he will formally raise the matter to the Pakatan leadership council soon, adding that PAS had boycotted elections before, such as the Batu Talam by-election.
However, Lim said DAP would accept any decision made by its allies and would help PAS to campaign if called upon, according to a report by Nanyang Daily.
He dismissed talks that a boycott would cost Pakatan a chance at forming the Terengganu government, because even at 16 seats on each side, the speaker, who is not a state assemblyperson, would not side the coalition.
Meanwhile, Terengganu PAS deputy commissioner Satiful Bahri Mamat rebuffed Terengganu PKR for showing interest in contesting during the by-election.
Satiful said that PAS was better than PKR in every aspect and thus had a better chance of winning.
Speaking to reporters in Kulai, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said that he will formally raise the matter to the Pakatan leadership council soon, adding that PAS had boycotted elections before, such as the Batu Talam by-election.
However, Lim said DAP would accept any decision made by its allies and would help PAS to campaign if called upon, according to a report by Nanyang Daily.
He dismissed talks that a boycott would cost Pakatan a chance at forming the Terengganu government, because even at 16 seats on each side, the speaker, who is not a state assemblyperson, would not side the coalition.
Meanwhile, Terengganu PAS deputy commissioner Satiful Bahri Mamat rebuffed Terengganu PKR for showing interest in contesting during the by-election.
Satiful said that PAS was better than PKR in every aspect and thus had a better chance of winning.
PAS: It's our seat
He was commenting on Terengganu PKR chief Azan Ismail's statement yesterday that his party had a potential candidate for Kuala Besut.
"I'm confident that PAS will consider our candidate. To strengthen our position in Terengganu, it would be good for PAS to consider our candidate," he said.
Similarly, PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali said that Azan "lacks understanding" about the situation at hand and the nature of the seat.
He stressed that whenever there is a by-election, the understanding in Pakatan was for status quo in terms of seat allocation.
The Kuala Besut seat fell vacant following the death of the incumbent Dr A Rahman Mokhtar on June 26.
Rahman retained the seat with a comfortable 2,434 majority, or 16 percent of the votes cast. Kuala Besut is considered to be a rural seat and a BN stronghold.
"I'm confident that PAS will consider our candidate. To strengthen our position in Terengganu, it would be good for PAS to consider our candidate," he said.
Similarly, PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali said that Azan "lacks understanding" about the situation at hand and the nature of the seat.
He stressed that whenever there is a by-election, the understanding in Pakatan was for status quo in terms of seat allocation.
The Kuala Besut seat fell vacant following the death of the incumbent Dr A Rahman Mokhtar on June 26.
Rahman retained the seat with a comfortable 2,434 majority, or 16 percent of the votes cast. Kuala Besut is considered to be a rural seat and a BN stronghold.
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