Amanah president Mohamad Sabu has explained the reason he is not contesting in the coming twin by-elections in Perak and Selangor.

It is because the party has chosen the best candidates to contest in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar, Mohamad told reporters today.

“There can only be one candidate, right? If there can be many, I would like to contest too, but we can only choose one.

“We picked someone whom we think is suitable for that place,” Mohamad, who is widely known as Mat Sabu, said when met on the sidelines of Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s (PSM) national congress in Shah Alam.

Amanah has fielded local businessman Azhar Abdul Shukur and physicist Termizi Ramli to contest in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar respectively.

Nomination day for the two by-elections will be this Sunday, while polling will be on June 18.

Since Mat Sabu is not contesting, despite being the party president, Dengkil assemblyperson Shahrum Mohd Sharif chided the leader as a “fighting cock that has lost its spurs”.

Shahrum said Mat Sabu only dared to show off during ceramah sessions, but is not brave enough to contest in the election.

Meanwhile, when asked about the PAS Private Member’s Bill that was tabled in Parliament to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, Mat Sabu declined to comment on the issue.

“I don’t want to talk about that day because I am not a member (of Parliament),” he said.