PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has confirmed that the announcement on the parliamentary seat to be contested by Anwar Ibrahim will only be made after his return from Hong Kong on Wednesday. 

He said Anwar had contacted him yesterday before departing for Hong Kong to give instructions to ‘get ready” potential seats that would be contested by the party president-elect in the near future, 

“There are originally three (potential) seats, but until yesterday these were zoomed in to two, yesterday he had contacted me to give me an overview and I have several tasks to be completed, maybe while in Hong Kong, he will make a decision on one of these seats,” he told reporters after conducting checks on the Sales and Service Tax (SST) implementation in Alor Setar today.

Saifuddin, who is also Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs minister, said the seat to be chosen by Anwar is the safest seat based on a study and taking into account the results of the last general election.

“We have taken into account all (aspects), including the last general election’s outcome, the percentage of voters’ turnout, current political issues and issues being harped by the opposition as long as the opposition has not set aside their politicking based on race, religion and racial animosity.

Saifuddin also confirmed that the seat to be contested by Anwar will not from the northern states, as speculated in the media. 

He cautioned people against believing news viral reports and gossips, stressing that any announcement on the matter will come from the secretary-general, as the rightful source of the party. 

Commenting on Wanita PKR Zuraida Kamaruddin that there have yet to be negotiations among the party leadership about the choice of seat for Anwar, Saifuddin said Anwar himself has announced that he will return to Parliament this October. 

"That's the way she (Zuraida) answers to the media. Anwar himself has commented on the matter, for instance, the prime minister says something, then someone says the matter has not been discussed in the cabinet, that's chaotic."

Saifuddin also said there is no issue, should Anwar, as well as his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and daughter Nurul Izzah, were in Parliament, as they were chosen by the people through a democratic system. 

On the claim by party deputy president-hopeful Rafizi Ramli that incumbent Mohamed Azmin Ali had met Anwar in Turkey to ask for the party president's post, Saifuddin said he will let party members judge the matter. 

He said that the PKR elections have become the focus of attention as this is the first time the biggest party in Pakatan Harapan goes to the polls after the coalition formed the federal government after the May 9 election.

"People are anxious seeing Rafizi go against Azmin, but to us in PKR, we see it as a normal process. Those who win or lose will still have a place in the party, be part of the PKR family and we see it (elections) as the chance to choose the best."

--Bernama