PKR has questioned whether Umno was behind former minister Zaid Ibrahim's sudden entry into the Kajang by-election.

"The question is: Is Umno behind Zaid Ibrahim's candidacy (in Kajang)?

"If Umno is behind it, I challenge Umno to put their own candidate instead of sending Zaid Ibrahim," PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution told a press conference in Kajang today.

The Kajang state seat has been traditionally contested by MCA, but some quarters within BN have lobbied for the seat to be contested by Umno.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin had previously said that BN should consider the best candidate from all component parties.

He added that he expected BN's candidate to be revealed next week against PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

‘BN’s doing the same, too’

Saifuddin also hit out at Khairy for deriding PKR’s move to trigger the by-election in Kajang, saying it was a case of pot calling the kettle black.

He pointed out that Umno in the past had triggered a by-election in the state seat of Permatang and the parliamentary seat of Kuala Selangor simply to allow Umno’s Abu Hassan Omar to switch seats and later become menteri besar.

Likewise, he said Umno similar triggered a by-election in Johor Baru due to Umno’s internal disagreement between its MP Shahrir Samad and then-prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

“He is having a selective memory... he needs to understand history before whacking his political enemies out of hatred. That does not reflect a good character of a future leader in Umno and BN,” he said.

He added that BN’s criticism of PKR campaigning before the campaigning period officially starts was also unfounded as the ruling coalition was doing the same.

He pointed out that Khairy had campaigned house-to-house yesterday in Kajang.

“Umno and BN which attacked PKR about early campaigning are now eating their own words.

“There is nothing wrong if a political party starts early preparation when a seat is vacated,” he said.