SG BESAR POLLS PAS candidate for Sungai Besar Dr Rani Osman has given Bersih his assurance that he supports its demands for institutional change.

"Maybe our methods to achieve those demands are different.

"But it doesn't matter if our methods differ, as long as our goals are achieved," Rani said in a Facebook post late last night.

He was responding to questions Bersih posed to candidates contesting in the twin by-elections, on whether they will support efforts to remove Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

The electoral reform movement also wants to know if the candidates support Bersih's 10 demands for institutional changes, and for reforms to ensure free and fair elections.

Rani said he supported all of these demands, adding that he did not just want Najib gone, but Umno as well.

"PAS wants no share in efforts to save Umno by helping those who want to help Umno get a new president, which will breathe a new life into BN."

He will also fight for a change in the electoral system, from first-past-the-post to proportional representation, which will ensure those who have the popular vote are in power, Rani added.

Rani is the first among the seven by-election candidates to respond to Bersih.

He is up against BN's Budiman Zohedi and Amanah's Azhar Abdul Shukor.

Azhar also supported the Bersih demands at a press conference later in the day, saying he had supported them even before becoming an election candidate.

Meanwhile, Amanah communications chief Khalid Samad questioned if Rani can actually keep his pledge.

"That may be his personal stand but in Parliament he will have to follow the party's stand.

"Even when the opposition wanted to move a vote of no confidence, there was a big question mark (as to PAS' support)," Khalid said.

The Sungai Besar polls run concurrently with the by-election in Kuala Kangsar, where BN's Mastura Mohd Yazid is defending her late husband's seat against Dr Najihatussalehah Ahmad of PAS, Amanah's Ahmad Termizi Rosli and Independent candidate Izat Bukhari Ismail Bukhari.

Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar go to the polls on June 18.