SHAH ALAM: The Pakatan Harapan Convention 2016, which has assembled the leaders of PKR, Parti Amanah Negara (PAN), the DAP and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) today, will determine the opposition's candidate for Prime Minister, should they win the next general election.
Participants of the convention were told this morning that the meeting will discuss who will lead Putrajaya in the interim, before the release of de facto head Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from prison could be secured.
Parti Amanah Negara (PAN) president Salahuddin Ayub, during his debate speech (pidato), said the new coalition -- which replaces the opposition's Pakatan Rakyat, which collapsed in July last year -- must not repeat their mistake of not having a referendum on who to be their candidate for the premiership.
"Our candidate to become the next Prime Minister is Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and I hold dearly to this agreement and respect it.
"However, if we want to set Datuk Seri Anwar free from prison, we must first set foot in Putrajaya in order to be able to do that.
"Before we can secure his release, we must have someone to helm Putrajaya until the day he (is freed from) prison. And who will this candidate be? Young or old, that person might be someone who is in this hall today. And this convention can decide," he said.
Salahuddin spoke in front of about 500-odd leaders and members of Pakatan Harapan, who thronged the IDCC convention centre at Section 15, here, since as early as 7.30am.