A number of key Parti Keadilan Nasional (PKR) leaders are seeking to turn the Aug 28 Kuala Berang by-election into a three-cornered fight, a move that may rock ties between the two coalition partners in the opposition Barisan Alternatif.

Reliable party sources told malaysiakini that the proposal to field a PKR candidate in the by-election was made by a group of leaders at the vice-president level, who wield strong influence within the party's top leadership.

A source closed to the top leadership revealed that the proposal was made to "teach PAS a lesson".

Islam-based opposition party PAS has expressed its intention to contest in the by-election but has yet to announce its candidate. It is expected to make the announcement this Saturday.

Kuala Berang, a state seat in Terengganu, fell vacant after the incumbent, Umno's Komaruddin Abdul Rahman, died of a heart attack on July 30. He defeated PAS candidate Dr Mamad Puteh by a majority of 1,695 votes in the March 21 general election.

"A group of PKR leaders are angered by PAS for its secret pact with Umno to safeguard its hold on Kelantan," said the source.

He was referring to the suspected PAS-Umno pact in which the two rival parties had reached an " agreement " not to pursue election petitions in Kelantan and Terengganu.

PAS retained Kelantan by a narrow three-seat majority, but lost Terengganu to Umno in the 2004 general election four months ago.

"Although PAS officials had denied the pact, we know it exist and that it had saved the PAS state government in Kelantan - minus the Pasir Puteh parliamentary seat - and also the state seat they won in Johor's Senggarang ," said the source.

He said that not only did PAS kept the pact secret from Keadilan, it has also failed to include Keadilan seats in the deal.

"We understand the need to safeguard Kelantan but they should also include the Permatang Pauh election petition as part of the deal. While their necks are saved, Keadilan's only seat is in jeopardy."

Permatang Pauh was won by PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail - the sole representative for the opposition party - by a majority of 590 votes.

Umno had filed an election petition alleging discrepancies in the result soon after March 21 general election. The petition is currently being heard by the Election Court.

Serious proposal?

PKR Youth chief Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor confirmed that the youth wing would be tabling the proposal to field a party candidate in the Kuala Berang by-election to the supreme council.

"There is a strong sentiment among the youth leaders that PKR should field its own candidate. It was a unanimous decision that I bring the matter up at the party's political bureau meeting and the supreme council meeting," he said when contacted yesterday.

However, he stressed that no final decision has been made on the proposal.

The Youth leader conceded that many members in the party had expressed their dissatisfaction against PAS' lack of commitment in the BA coalition and this sentiment grew following the alleged PAS-Umno secret deal.

"We are not saying it was a wrong for them (PAS) to stitch a deal with Umno, but they should not have done so without consulting Keadilan as we are their BA partners.

"If we can consult each other before the general election on seats allocation and other related matters, then it's only fair if we consult each other on post-election matters too."

When told that PAS officials had denied the existence of the secret deal with Umno, Ezam said that he strongly believed that a deal had been struck.

"I've information from people within Umno of the meeting and its details. Even (PAS leader) Husam (Musa) admitted meeting Khairy Jamaluddin ( right ). So I don't think there should be a doubt that there was a pact between Umno and PAS," he said.

Khairy is Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's son-in-law.

Ezam however denied that the proposal to contest the Kuala Berang by-election was made in bad faith.

He said there was a need to make PAS understand the meaning of partnership within a coalition.

"To me it (the proposal) is to remind our friends the spirit of our pact in BA. As partners, it is important to discuss among ourselves before an important political decision is made, and we want to make sure that they get the message," he said.

He denied that the move was an indication that PKR plans to quit the opposition coalition.

"No, we have no such intention. But, we want to make our dissatisfaction known to our partner. We have to make a strong point, or else we would find ourselves in the same boat five years from now."

PAS will lose

Meanwhile, a PKR leader from the party's grassroots said that the Kuala Berang plan may hurt the opposition coalition further.

"I don't see any sense in the proposal. I don't think PAS stands a chance of winning in the first place. But if Keadilan fields a candidate, PAS will take the opportunity to blame us instead. Why give them that chance?" said the source.

He also said that the move may also cause PAS to retaliate in the future.

"Why create unnecessary problems among us, who are supposed to be partners fighting against one common enemy? I understand their anger but surely there is a better way to settle this."