A by-election in Selangor?

Kota Alam Shah state representative M Manoharan, who is under the Internal Security Act detention, is believed to be considering quitting his seat, Malaysiakini learnt today.

A source close to the detained lawyer said that he was growing frustrated over his inability to serve his constituents.

"He also realises the pressure he has put on his wife to work as his representative in his absence," added the source.

His wife S Pushpaneela ( right ) has to juggle her time in taking care of their four young children, his legal office and his constituency, added the source.

Manoharan was detained under the ISA on Dec 13 in 2007 along with four other Hindraf leaders.

He was a legal advisor for the movement, which has since been banned by the government.

He then contested under the DAP ticket for the Kota Alam Shah state seat in Selangor while in custody and defeated BN-Gerakan's Ching Su Chen by 7,184 votes.

Various appeals to the government and judicial reviews in courts to seek his freedom have been unsuccessful.

In his absence, Pushpaneela and several volunteers have been taking care of the constituency with the help of some DAP leaders.

"However, the workload is just too much on her. She is after all not the elected representative and there is only so much she can do for the people," added the source.

Manoharan is now believed to have decided that it would be better for someone else to do the job as the state assemblyperson in Kota Alam Shah.

Wife meeting him on Saturday

When contacted, Pushpaneela refused to comment on the matter.

"I can't say anything until I have met him at the Kamunting detention centre this Saturday," she said.

"Please wait until Saturday for further information on this," she added.

If Manoharan steps down from the seat, it will pave the way for the seventh by-election in the country after the March 2008 general election.

As it is, a by-election is just around the corner - for the Penanti state seat in Penang, which will be held on May 31.

That seat became vacant after its PKR's representative Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin quit on April 16.

The Kota Alam Shah by-election, if it happens, would be the first in Selangor and for DAP.

Pakatan has 36 seats in the state assembly as opposed to 20 held by Barisan Nasional.

The decision by Manoharan to step down, if it materialises, would come as a shock to state leaders as this was one seat which they had not anticipated a by-election.

The state however came close to hold a by-election for the Bukit Lanjan state seat held by PKR's Elizabeth Wong after semi-nude photos of her were circulated in public earlier this year.

That did not materialise after Wong decided against resigning the seat.

Will BN contest?

A by-election in Kota Alam Shah would also put BN in a quandary as the coalition's chairperson and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had recently lashed out at elected representatives from the opposition for quitting their seats for flimsy reasons.

Najib had argued that the nation was better off spending money on fighting the ongoing financial crisis than wasting it on by-elections.

Worried that the ruling coalition will suffer its fifth consecutive defeats in the Peninsular, BN is contemplating not contesting the Penanti state seat. However, a final decision is expected on Monday.

The coalition may take a similar stand on Kota Alam Shah if the seat becomes vacant.

"But in the case of Manoharan, it is not that he does not want to serve his constituents. It is the decision of the government to hold him under detention, thus disabling him from performing his duty," said the source.

"There is no way Najib can call Manoharan's reason to quit as being flimsy. He (Manoharan) is after all seems to be thinking for the benefit of his voters," added the source.

The Kota Alam Shah seat falls under the Klang constituency, which is also held by DAP.

Meanwhile Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim denied that Manoharan was going resign from his state seat.

Speaking to reporters in Shah Alam, he brushed aside the resignation talks as speculations.

And in Penang, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng refused to comment on the matter.