The Batu Sapi PKR division has short-listed three "well qualified" candidates for the parliamentary by-election, the division's head Hassnar Ebrahim said.

"The three names - a Bajau, a Suluk and another - will be considered by the Sabah PKR leadership tonight," said Hassnar.

"Let them make the announcement. There will also be a Sabah Pakatan meeting in Kota Kinabalu soon to discuss preparations for the by-election."

hassnar ebrahim 291009 01 PKR was assigned to contest the Batu Sapi parliamentary seat in the 2008 general election, but it failed to produce a candidate on nomination day.

"The last general election in 2008 should not be held against us. We had a candidate in Dr Yusuf Sheikh Ahmad. Unfortunately, he was detained by a police special branch officer for questioning until the nomination process was over," Hassnar ( left ) claimed.

The party's election director Fuziah Salleh has staked claim to the seat, which DAP is also believed to be eyeing.

No giving way to DAP

Hassnar said he was not among the candidates despite being elected division chief recently. He also squashed speculation that PKR would be giving way to DAP to contest the seat.

azlan Batu Sapi is a Muslim-majority seat, he said, while non-Muslims, from whom DAP draws most of its support, comprise only 40 percent of the electorate.

The PKR candidate picked to contest, he said, would be nominated by the state leaders and the final decision made by the national leadership.

The Batu Sapi seat became vacant following the death of the MP, Edmund Chong, 54, in a motorcycle accident last Saturday. Chong represented Parti Bersatu Sabah, a component of the Barisan Nasional coalition.

With PKR's absence in the 2008 polls, Chong garnered 9,479 votes to beat independent Chung Kwong Wing, who polled 5,771 votes.

BN is expected to be represented by PBS again for the Batu Sapi seat, while another opposition party, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), is also expected to contest in the by-election.