KOTA BHARU: The upcoming Sungai Kandis by-election will be used as a barometer to gauge the level of public acceptance following Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) victory in the 14th General Election (GE14) in May.
PKR vice-president, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, said following two months of PH rule, with various policies implemented and the elimination of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the by-election can be useful in determining whether the people have responded well or otherwise.
Shamsul Iskandar, who is also Bukit Katil Member of Parliament, expressed confidence that PKR is capable of retaining the seat.
“For now, only one name has come up for consideration (as candidate). I am sure that list will expand as the deadline looms for the nomination of candidates.
“We’re no strangers to by-elections but this time, it’s a bit different as we will know just how far along is the people’s acceptance of PH.
“All the preparations and distribution of duties have already been done to ensure that the campaigning period proceeds smoothly,” he said when met during a working visit to the National Kenaf and Tobacco Board, here, on Sunday.
Shamsul Iskandar said a topic which will be of interest during the campaigning period is PKR’s success in governing Selangor. He said he is confident that there are not many issues that can be raised by the opposition in this respect.
“We hope everything proceeds smoothly. And as to whether PKR de facto chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be going down to the ground or not, that will depend on the level of his health,” he said.
The Sungai Kandis by-election was called following the death of its incumbent, PKR’s Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei, who died of cancer on July 2.
In GE14, Mat Shuhaimi won the seat by garnering 23,998 votes, defeating Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Datuk Kamaruzzaman Johari (11,518); Pas’ Mohd Yusof Abdullah (7,573) and Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s (PRM) Hanafiah Husin (76).