PKR to name candidate tomorrow, confusion in BN camp

PKR would announce its candidate for the Hulu Selangor parliamentary by-election at the Serandah community hall tomorrow. The event will be attended by PKR supremo and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, DAP secretatry-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, ousted Perak menteri besar Mohamed Nizar Jamaluddin and several others.

Anwar is expected to name former law minister Zaid Ibrahim as the Pakatan Rakyat candidate for the seat, which fell vacant following the death of PKR incumbent Zainal Abidin Ahmad.

Zaid, a former Umno member and Kota Baru MP, joined PKR last year.

In 2008, he had resigned as law minister after disagreeing with the government's decision to detain three people, an opposition leader, a popular blogger and a journalist under the Internal Security Act.

Sources also claimed that Zaid would be the best man for the job since it is a Malay-majority seat, and furthermore he is well-known among the Chinese and Indian voters.

“There is a lot of respect for Zaid. He might not be a local, but the voters know that in him, they would have a credible and respectable representative in Parliament,” said a PKR grassroots leader.

Previously, it was speculated that Hulu Selangor PKR division treasurer and nuerosurgeon Dr Halili Rahmat would be the candidate, among several others shortlisted.

Fuelling speculations

On the other hand, Barisan Nasional would name its candidate on Thursday, two days before nomination day for the April 25 by-election.

This morning, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the candidate would be a local, fuelling speculations that MIC deputy president G Palanivel had been dropped.

However, MIC sources noted that since Muhyiddin had used the term 'penduduk tempatan' (local resident) as opposed to 'anak tempatan' (local born), it could still be Palanivel.

“Palanivel is the Hulu Selangor MIC division chief and he has a house there. So technically, he is a local resident as well,” they said.

Despite this, there are certain quarters claiming that Muhyiddin was referring to Hulu Selangor MIC Youth chief V Mugilan.

There were also reports claiming that the Hulu Selangor Umno division prefers Mugilan.

by FMT