PAS has downplayed the impact of incumbent Paya Jaras assemblyperson Khairuddin Othman defecting to PKR, saying it would not affect the Islamist party in other Selangor constituencies.

Instead, PAS vice-president Iskandar Abdul Samad said the defection will cause conflict within Pakatan Harapan.

"If the (incumbent) Paya Jaras assemblyperson is nominated again, then Amanah will lose the seat.

"This means Amanah, which had aspirations to contest the seat, will be disappointed.

"A crisis will erupt (within Harapan) and can spread to other areas," Iskandar said in a statement today.

While Harapan has yet to complete seat negotiations in Selangor, it has been agreed prior to Khairuddin's defection that Amanah would be contesting in Paya Jaras.

His defection to PKR was announced by Selangor caretaker menteri besar Azmin Ali on Sunday. 

Khairuddin's (photo) problems with PAS became apparent late last year after he was unceremoniously dropped as the Selangor PAS information chief.

At the time, he speculated that the likely reason he was dropped because he was too "friendly" with Selangor government officials.

Should Khairuddin be fielded, he will likely face a tougher contest than before.

Khairuddin will first have to deal with new electoral boundaries in the Paya Jaras, which significantly increases the number of voters which backed BN in 2013. 

He will also likely face Isham Jalil, a special officer to caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, who is widely tipped to be BN's candidate. 

Finally, Khairuddin will also likely have to face a candidate from his former party PAS.

In 2013 he had won the seat with a comfortable 14.3 percent majority over his BN opponent. 

The general election will be called within 60 days following the dissolution of Parliament yesterday.