Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali says he will not hesitate to contest the impending Pengkalan Kubor by-election if he is offered by a party to be a candidate.

“If I’m invited to contest in the Pengkalan Kubor by-election, then I will do so.

“But I will not contest as an Independent candidate. There is simply too much of work to be done,” Ibrahim ( right ) told Malaysiakini after the Perkasa's supreme council meeting today.

Ibrahim, who was former Pasir Mas MP, nevertheless says he stands a good chance if he contests as the constituency is his “playground”.

“To contest as an Independent candidate would not be nessasary for me, although I know I have a major influence in Pengkalan Kubor,” he said.

According to Ibrahim, the residents at Pengkalan Kubor will vote along party lines.

PAS stands a better chance

“If PKR were to use the PAS symbol to contest in the by-election, the chances for them to win will be 50-50.

“However, if PKR decides to use its own symbol, I am very sure Umno-BN will win by a landslide,” he said.

Ibrahim said BN would have a harder time defending the seat, which it has won thrice, if PAS contests the by-election.

“PKR does not have a capable candidate to take over the late Noor Zahidi Omar, nor does it have a branch in that town.

“There is no problem for BN to retain its post,” he said.

The Pengkalan Kubor seat fell vacant upon the death of BN assemblyperson Noor Zahidi, who died of lung cancer on Aug 20.

Noor Zahidi who has held Pengkalan Kubor since the 2004 general election, won the seat for the third time in 2013 with a majority vote of 1,736, defeating PKR's Saharun Ibrahim and independent candidate Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary.