Former de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim's decision not to contest the Kajang by-election is because he is not brave enough to square off with a woman, Wanita PKR chief Zuraida Kamaruddin said today.

Zaid announced yesterday that he will not contest as an independent candidate, after opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s conviction on the Sodomy II charge disqualified him from contesting

Anwar’s wife and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will replace him.

Zuraida said Zaid, a former PKR leader, was probably also afraid of  "losing his deposit" if he went ahead and contested the Kajang state seat.

"I think he is afraid to compete with a woman, that he might lose his deposit. So he withdrew himself from the contest," the Ampang MP added at a press conference in Kajang this afternoon.

Zaid in announcing his withdrawal said he no longer saw the relevance in contesting following Anwar's disqualification.

Declaring his candidacy earlier, Zaid said he wanted to take down Anwar to curtail his move to become the next Selangor menteri besar, so that Abdul Khalid Ibrahim would remain as the menteri besar.

Meanwhile, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) chairperson Dr Nasir Hashim announced that the party would support and campaign for Wan Azizah in Kajang, contrary to PSM’s previous announcement that it will not endorse, nor campaign, in the March 23 by-election.

PSM changed its stance following Anwar's Sodomy II conviction by the Court of Appeal and said it was throwing full support behind PKR as a sign of protest against the conviction.