PAS to contest Ayer Kuning by-election: Report

Summary

• Muhyiddin Yassin confirms that PAS will contest the Ayer Kuning seat again, maintaining the arrangement despite past defeat.

• The seat fell vacant after Umno’s Ishsam Shahruddin died of a heart attack. The Election Commission will meet on March 7 to discuss a by-election.

Perikatan Nasional chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin has reportedly confirmed that PAS will contest the Ayer Kuning state seat in Perak once again.

This is despite the Islamist party losing the last time it contested the seat in the 15th general election.

“Even though PAS contested before and didn’t win, we won’t make any changes based on what was previously agreed upon. Let it stay the same.

“The seat belongs to the party, and they will decide who the candidate is. We will assess the candidate, and if they are suitable, we will support them,” New Straits Times quoted him as saying today.

The Ayer Kuning seat fell vacant after its Umno incumbent Ishsam Shahruddin, 58, died of a heart attack while playing football on Sunday.

Ishsam won the Ayer Kuning seat in a five-way contest with a majority of 2,213 votes over his challengers from Amanah’s Dr Mohd Nazri Hashim, PAS’ Muhammad Noor Farid, PSM’s Bawani KS, and Pejuang’s Maziah Salim.

The Election Commission will meet on March 7 to discuss holding a by-election to fill the vacancy.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said his party is seeking to field a “winnable, acceptable, and likeable” candidate in the upcoming by-election.

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