GE14 | In a last-minute surprise move, Malacca PKR chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin (above) will now contest the state seat of Rim, despite his earlier decision not to stand for any state seats.

“My party wanted me to contest in a state seat in case Malacca falls so that we could have a choice for chief minister,” he told Malaysiakini when met near the Hang Tuah Jaya nomination centre.

Shamsul was not present for nomination at the parliamentary seat of Hang Tuah Jaya earlier today where he was supposed to defend his incumbency against former Malacca chief minister Mohd Ali Rustam.

He had instead sent a representative to register him as a candidate at Hang Tuah Jaya, the administration centre of Malacca.

Meanwhile, Shamsul went to the Jasin nomination centre to register as a candidate for the Rim state seat this morning.

However, he then came to Hang Tuah Jaya shortly after the candidates were accepted to meet with his supporters.

Shamsul had previously declined to contest in Machap Jaya and had backed PKR’s Ginie Lim (below) for the seat.

Lim had been PKR’s candidate for Machap Jaya since 2008 and was re-selected for the seat after Shamsul declined it.

Meanwhile, Shamsul was later listed as the candidate for Rembia in PKR’s official candidates list

However, because his heart was set on Kelebang, Shamsul opted to drop out of contesting any state seat.

“I wanted Kelebang because it was right next to Hang Tuah Jaya but Rim is also next to Hang Tuah Jaya. And Rim is my hometown.

“Rim also has a smaller majority than Kelebang,” he said, clarifying his U-turn in contesting a state seat.

BN won Rim in the last election by a 1,121 vote majority and Kelebang with a 2,097 vote majority.

Shamsul also said he initially did not want to contest at Rim because he did not want to “rock the boat” by taking the seat away from Azmi Khamis, who had contested Rim the past two elections.

He pointed out this would be PKR’s first time contesting in Kelebang, which was previously contested by DAP.

But when Azmi decided to step aside for him at Rim, he accepted.

“We discussed this yesterday and the decision was only made last night,” Shamsul said.