KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) respects Barisan Nasional’s (BN) decision to boycott the Port Dickson by-election.
Its secretary-general Tan Hiang Lye said that the decision by BN leadership was an internal party matter and one that PRM would not meddle with.
He said the decision may have been made after the opposition studied the matter from all angles.
“Based on current political sentiment, we believe in the reality that BN will find it hard to win the seat.
“The boycott is also BN’s indirect protest against the clearly undemocratic vacating of the seat,” he told NSTP today.
Tan reiterated PRM’s intent to field a candidate against incoming PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim despite many quarters labelling the by-election as a waste of public funds and resources.
He said that PRM seeks to curb the culture of political arrogance, whereby the Port Dickson by-election is a third attempt to fulfill Anwar’s political ambition.
“It is clear that Anwar only prioritises himself and not the interests of the country or the people.
“He brings a culture that is not good for the country and the people of Port Dickson must reject him,” Tan said.
Meanwhile Tan said PRM will field a capable candidate in Port Dickson.
He dispelled rumours that the candidate is party president Mohd Hashim Saaludin.
“He (Mohd Hashim) declined to be a candidate due to age factor and he wishes to make way for a younger person.
“PRM will announce the candidate set to go against Anwar in the near future,” Tan said.