LANGKAWI: Pakatan Harapan (PH) is ready to face the Rantau by-election and confident of defeating all comers, including Barisan Nasional's (BN) Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who counts the state seat as a stronghold.
Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Mohamad Sabu said everything was at optimum readiness for the by-election as far as the election machinery was concerned.
"Of course, whenever an election or by-election comes around, we will say we are ready and confident. But we are really ready.
"They (BN) are playing up economic issues. We will answer their questions. So, we are confident," he told a press conference at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre on the last day of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition 2019, here.
Joking with members of the media, he said PH would accept any form of victory when it comes.
"If (the constituents) want to vote PH we will accept. If they (vote to) reject BN, we will also accept," he said to laughter.
The Rantau by-election will see a four-cornered fight involving Mohamad, PH's Dr S. Streram, and independent candidates Malar Rajaram and Mohd Nor Yassin.
Polling day for the by-election has been set for April 13, with early voting being held four days earlier.
The by-election was called after the Federal Court dismissed an appeal filed by Mohamad Hasan to set aside an Election Court decision to declare his victory in the 14th general election (GE14) null and void. Mohamad Hasan had won the seat uncontested in May 2018 after Dr Streram was unable to submit his nomination papers due to him being denied entry into the nomination centre for not having a pass issued by the EC.
The seat has 20,926 registered voters, including 118 early voters and four absentee voters.