The dissolution of the Negeri Sembilan chapter of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) yesterday is not expected to have any impact on the campaign machinery of the Pakatan Harapan in the run-up to the parliamentary by-election in Port Dickson.

PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali (above) said, on the contrary, that Bersatu gave strong support especially to the Bersatu machinery in the PKR campaign to retain the Port Dickson parliamentary seat.

“We do not expect that (the dissolution would have an impact on the PD campaign). This is a matter of organisation and party structure at the state level (but) at the Bersatu machinery, leadership and membership levels, they give strong support to Keadilan representing Harapan in Port Dickson,” he told reporters, in Johor Bahru last night.

However, the minister for economic affairs also hoped that the structural and organisational problems of Bersatu were resolved amicably to strengthen the party.

Mohamed Azmin disclosed this when asked to comment whether the dissolution of Negeri Sembilan Bersatu was seen to be capable of affecting the PKR campaign in PD.

He was approached by reporters at the event "Pidato Malaysia Baharu” with the PKR deputy president.

When asked on the strong challenge faced by PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, he said that PKR, as usual, did not take any by-election for granted.

“As usual, we don't take any by-election for granted. We don’t want to be too complacent.

“We will work hard and we have discussed the strategy to get close to the constituents because the voters in the PD Parliamentary constituency are mixed and comprise various races and religions,” added Mohamed Azmin.

Anwar, 71, who will officially become PKR president in November after winning the post uncontested, is expected to face a five-cornered contest in the by-election on Oct 13. 

So far, five candidates including Anwar had stated their intention to contest the hot seat including the PAS candidate Lt. Col. (Rtd) Mohd Nazari Mokhtar and two independent candidates namely former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Mohd Isa Abdul Samad and social media personality, Stevie Chan and Parti Rakyat Malaysia candidate Ahmad Kamarudin.

Nomination day for the PD by-election is today.

- Bernama