PAS and PKR dare UMNO to contest in Kajang by-election

Harakahdaily - TS,

18 February 2014

In separate press conference, PAS information chief Mahfuz Omar and PKR secretary general Saifuddin Nasution had challenged UMNO to field its own candidate in Kajang by-election to contest against Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, who has confirmed his participation.

Mahfuz said UMNO should not ‘bully’ its embattled partner MCA by forcing it to contest in the Kajang by-election when the other two candidates are Malay.

Besides Anwar, former PKR member and minister Zaid Ibrahim had announced his intention to contest.

Therefore, said the Pokok Sena MP, it was only right for UMNO to field its candidate in Kajang.

To date, BN has yet to announce its candidate for the Kajang by-election. The ruling coalition’s hesitation and passiveness had created uneasiness among its members. Even UMNO information chief Ahmad Maslan had to turn to media to urge his party to make a stand on the matter.

Saifuddin meanwhile questioned whether UMNO was behind Zaid’s bid to contest in the Kajang by-election.

“The question is, is UMNO behind the Zaid Ibrahim’s bid to contest?

“I want to challenge the UMNO Youth chief to field a candidate from UMNO, don’t support Zaid Ibrahim, don’t send him, UMNO should go to the ground,” Saifuddin was quoted saying by The Malay Mail Online.