Johor PKR has nudged its chief Chua Jui Meng to vie for the Segamat parliamentary seat in exchange for giving up Gelang Patah to the DAP.

"We held a meeting on March 28 in Ayer Hitam and the decision was for us to accept Segamat (in an exchange)," Johor PKR deputy chief Ahmad Faidhi Saidi told Malaysiakini when contacted.

PKR deputy secretary-general Steven Choong had said that Segamat was a third choice for Chua.

ahmad faidhi saidi johor pkr deputy chief Choong, who is seen as an ally of Chua, had said the latter would prefer to fight in his former constituency of DAP-held Bakri or Kulai.

However, Ahmad ( left ) insisted that a survey on the ground showed Segamat was a winnable seat if Chua were to contest there.

"If he (Chua) does not want to accept, he will have to re-negotiate but Johor PKR's stance is clear, that we want to see him in Segamat," he said.

He added that the central leadership had been informed that Segamat was indeed the intended swap for Gelang Patah but said they were still waiting for the greenlight from the DAP.

Ahmad, who has taken over as acting chief while Chua is away, reiterated that the latter was still the official the head of Johor PKR.

"It is just that I have, for now, taken over the affairs of PKR in Johor," he said.

‘ Need to show house in order'

He added that PKR grassroots were concerned over Chua's absence and that party had to show that everything was still going on as normal.

NONE He added that the party was still in constant communications with Chua to keep him abreast of Johor PKR affairs.

Chua had taken leave after it was announced that PKR would give up Gelang Patah, which he had been eyeing, to DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang.

Segamat is presently held by Human Resource Minister S Subramaniam who won the seat by a 2,991-vote majority, with 15,921 votes compared to DAP's 12,930 votes.

Kulai is currently held by former MCA president Ong Ka Ting with a 11,744-vote majority, while Bakri was won by DAP with a 722-vote majority

Chua, who was formerly MCA vice president, did not contest in the last general election but had won Bakri with a convincing  majority of 19,059-votes in the 2004 polls.