Pakatan Rakyat need not necessarily follow the norm, where PKR has traditionally contested in the Pengkalan Kubor state seat in Kelantan, PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali said.

He said in this in reference to the coming Pengkalan Kubor by-election, amid demands from certain PAS leaders that PKR hands the seat over to the Islamic party.

"In this by-election, the party that contests will be the same as in the general election.

"But we are not necessarily bound by that, if there is a new decision made based on the win-win factor," Mustafa told a press conference at the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

He was quoted by Sinar Harian as saying yesterday that PAS would not seek the state seat as it belonged to PKR.

"At the central level, we have not had any discussions because we consider the seat as PKR’s, unless they choose not to contest. Our duty is just to lend a helping hand,” the Malay daily quoted Mustafa as saying.

‘My stance today not inconsistent’

However, he said today that his stance today was not inconsistent with what was reported, stating that PKR was the traditional contender and any changes needed to be discussed first.

"PKR need to discuss with PAS. Normally we want to win in an election.

"So, winning is a factor and both parties need to discuss to achieve consensus on the best way for us to win the by-election," he said.

 

Mustafa ( left ) added that the PAS central body would not interfere in the preparations for the by-election, pending instructions from PAS Kelantan.

 

The Pengkalan Kubor seat became vacant following the death of  Noor Zahidi Omar, 57, if Umno, who died of liver cancer on Aug 20.

 

Previously, PAS Muslimat had asked PKR to hand over the Pengkalan Kubor seat to it, citing PKR's failure to capture the seat from Umno in two consecutive general elections.

 

However, PKR's former Pengkalan Kubor candidate, Saharun Ibrahim, had blamed politicking by an “allied party" as the cause of his defeat in the last general election.