PAS may contest against Anwar in 'wasteful' by-election

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man today criticised plans to trigger a by-election so as to allow Anwar Ibrahim to contest, adding that the Islamic party may challenge the PKR president-elect if a seat is deliberately made vacant.

"We will see which seat will be made vacant. If it is a seat where PAS stands a chance, we will contest.

"There are rumours that it will either be Permatang Pauh or Sungai Petani but those are rumours for now. We are ready," he told journalists in Ampang today.

Tuan Ibrahim said the mandate given to any MP should not be taken so lightly that they would be expected to resign simply to make way for Anwar.

"The problem is when we force the people into another election, millions in taxpayers money will be expended.

"I do not think that this should happen in a democratic country. Normally, a seat falls vacant due to death, bankruptcy or disqualification, not because that it is done on purpose to make way for someone else.

"This would be like the Kajang move," he said.

In 2014, Kajang assemblyperson Lee Chin Cheh resigned to make way for Anwar. The move was intended to allow Anwar to eventually become the Selangor menteri besar.

Anwar later decided not to contest due to disqualification concerns amid his Sodomy II case. His wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, eventually won the seat.

The move angered PAS, which claimed it was not consulted, and further soured its relationship with Pakatan Rakyat. The coalition eventually disintegrated and was replaced with Pakatan Harapan, which PAS was not a member of.

Yesterday, Anwar suggested that he may make his bid to return to Parliament in October.

This was after Anwar was granted a royal pardon for his sodomy convictions, which he claimed were politically motivated.

Mahathir has agreed to eventually hand over power to Anwar as prime minister, which will require the latter to be a member of Parliament. -Mkini