Sit out Pulai, Simpang Jeram by-polls to honour Salahuddin, PN told

 

A PKR leader has urged Perikatan Nasional (PN) to stay out of the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state by-elections in Johor on Sept 9.

PKR deputy secretary-general Dr Sathia Prakash Nadarajan said this is to honour the late representative of the two seats, Salahuddin Ayub, who passed away on July 23.

“Despite differing in political ideologies, Salahuddin was a figure well-respected by all.

“As such, I hope PN and other parties will not field any candidates in the by-elections to honour the late Salahuddin,” Sathia told Malaysiakini.

He said PN should emulate BN’s decision to sit out the by-election for the Chempaka state seat in Kelantan to honour the late PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat in 2015.

Salahuddin, who was the domestic trade and cost of living minister, died at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar, Kedah, a day after undergoing surgery for a brain haemorrhage. He was 61.

Prior to his involvement in politics, Salahuddin was an activist in the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (Abim) in the 1980s. He then joined PAS and went on to become a two-term Kubang Kerian MP.

In 2015, Salahuddin co-founded Amanah with other progressive PAS members who quit the Islamist party.

Election Commission chairperson Abdul Ghani Salleh recently announced that nomination and early voting for the two by-elections would be on Aug 26 and Sept 5, respectively.

BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that BN will make way for Pakatan Harapan through Amanah to defend the two seats, out of respect for the party’s position as BN’s new ally in government.

Sathia said Harapan and BN will be ready to face PN if the latter decides to contest the by-election.

“On paper, Harapan has already won the two seats. The majority garnered by Harapan in the Pulai parliamentary seat in the 15th general election is more than 33,000.

“In Simpang Jeram, Amanah defended the state seat in the Johor state election last year, although it faced tough competition from BN and PN,” he said.

“Therefore, I foresee PN having a slim chance to seize the two seats, what more with Harapan and BN being part of the same coalition now.” - Mkini