PD POLLS | PAS has yet to set a date for the central committee meeting to discuss whether the party will field a candidate in the upcoming Port Dickson by-election.

This was confirmed by Pas Youth chief Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi, who is part of the PAS central leadership.

While Barisan Nasional has resolved to boycott the Port Dickson by-election as announced by its chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi during the political bureau meeting today, the spotlight is now on PAS.

"No, we haven't decided on when to convene a central committee meeting yet," said Muhammad Khalil when contacted by Malaysiakini.

On Sept 15, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said the party may consider fielding a candidate if no other opposition party takes part.

This was contrary to what the party's deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said two days earlier. He said that Pas would not contest in the by-election.

PAS Dewan Ulama chief Dr Mahfodz Mohamed had also echoed Tuan Ibrahim’s sentiments, saying that the party had discussed at the Ulama's Syura council meeting that they would make way for Umno.

Muhammad Khalil said whether PAS will contest in the by-election will only be known, pending the announcement made by the party's secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan.

"I don't know whether PAS will field a candidate … we will have to wait for the announcement by the PAS secretary-general," he said.

The Port Dickson by-election is being held after the incumbent Danyal Balagopal Abdullah resigned to pave way for Anwar’s return to Parliament.

In GE14, the former senior navy officer defeated BN's VS Mohan and PAS' Mahfuz Roslan with a 17,710-vote majority.

Nomination day will be on Sept 29 while Oct 13 has been set as the polling day. There are 75,770 registered voters in the constituency.