Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim) president Hanafi Hamat has denied rumours of that he has been slapped with a six-month suspension.

hanafi hamat akim independent candidate permatang pauh 210808 04 He also claimed that the party has not been affected by an internal tussle and is gearing up for the Jan 17 Kuala Terengganu by-election.

"I am still the legitimate Akim president," stressed the 61-year-old politician when contacted over the weekend.

Hanafi was said to have been suspended after failing to attend the party's annual meeting in September. He was supposedly replaced by one Abdullah Sani Musa.

However, the Akim leader conceded that he is embroiled in a tussle with the faction led by Abdullah Sani and the matter has been referred to the Registrar of Societies.

Abdullah Sani could not be reached for comment.

Hanafi, a father of 12, shot to fame after he contested against PKR's Anwar Ibrahim and Barisan Nasional's Arif Shah Omar Shah in the Aug 26 Permatang Pauh by-election , which was won by Anwar.

Money 'not an issue'

Akim, which claims to have 15,000 members, was founded by the Kelantan-based Hanafi - a former member of PAS - which he left together with a group of disgruntled leaders in 1995.

Its principles of governance is similar to the PAS Islamic agenda.

Apart from Permatang Pauh, Hanafi also contested as an independent candidate for the Tanah Merah state assembly seat in 1990 but did not win.

Despite its recent defeat in the Permatang Pauh by-election, Hanafi reportedly said that Akim would field a candidate in the upcoming Kuala Terengganu by-election.

The by-election is being called after incumbent Razali Ismail of Barisan National-Umno died of a heart attack in Genting Highlands two weeks ago.

Commenting on the polls, Hanafi said the party would field a local.

"There are many party members who have expressed their wish to contest in the by-election and I have shortlisted four to five people. We will probably name a local to contest," he said.

He also brushed aside a question as to whether Akim has sufficient funds to pay the required RM15,000 deposit to the Election Commission for its candidate to contest.

"We have many party members, so there is no worry over getting the money," he said, adding that he is confident that voters will support the party.