Pakatan Rakyat is attempting to negotiate with SAPP for the Batu Sapi candidacy, said PKR strategy chief Tian Chua.

“Our main objective is to make sure that it is (a) one-on-one (fight),” he said when contacted today.

azlan This follows a consensus by Sabah Pakatan at their meeting yesterday to field a PKR candidate in the Nov 4 by-election.

The by-election was called when the incumbent PBS parliamentarian Edmund Chong Ket Wah died in a road accident on Oct 9.

Sabah-based SAPP has announced their intention to defend its seat, while BN has said that it will name its candidate on Sunday.

According to Sabah PAS chief Muhammad Abdullah, both state PAS and DAP have agreed to allow PKR to field their candidate on behalf of the coalition.

“It was a tense meeting and (both Sabah PAS and DAP) decided that we will leave the final decision on the candidate to PKR,” said Sabah PAS chief Muhammad Abdullah of the four-hour affair.  

Possible candidates shortlisted

He added that PKR has yet to make their decision, but they have shortlisted a number of possibilities including Sabah chief Ahmad Thamrin Jai, Tuaran division chief Ansari Abdullah and newly-elected Batu Sapi chief Hasnar Ibrahim.

However, Muhammad said that Sabah PAS may demand for the seat from PKR if they do not approve of the candidate fielded.

Among those presently shortlisted, he said that PAS preferred Hasnar as they believe he has local advantage.

PKR central on the other hand appears to prefer other candidates, claiming that they are more educated, he said.