SHAH ALAM: Two Selangor Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition component parties, DAP and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah), said it will not contest in the March 2 Semenyih constituency seat by-election.
Both parties said it will rally behind Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu)’s candidate to ensure that PH will retain the seat which was declared vacant following the death of its assemblyman Bakhtiar Mohd Nor.
Bakhtiar, 57, died of a heart attack on Jan 11.
Selangor DAP vice-chairman Ng Suee Lim said the party would not be proposing any candidate to be fielded in the by-election.
“We are respectful of our relationship with Selangor PH component parties and DAP will not be naming anyone for candidacy. It is Bersatu’s seat and they are the priority, being the incumbent party.
“DAP is committed to assisting the candidate as well PH to defend the seat and that is the most important factor,” Ng told the New Straits Times Press today.
Ng said a Selangor PH state level meeting was expected to be called by its chairman Amirudin Shari, who is also Selangor Menteri Besar, this week.
However, Ng said he had yet to receive details of the date and location of the meeting.
Ng said among the matters that will be discussed was PH’s strategy to win and on how DAP could help in the election campaign trail and its machinery.
Echoing Ng was Selangor Amanah deputy chief Saari Sungib who said Bersatu deserved the right to contest the seat.
“Amanah will extend our assistance to the candidate, Bersatu and PH throughout the campaigning process to ensure our victory,” he said.
On Sunday, Amirudin said the meeting is aimed at reaching a concensus with all component parties on the candidate to field.
He said while they were letting Bersatu decide on its candidate, other component parties were also free to submit names.
Amirudin said the final decision, however, was in the hands of PH Presidential Council or the top PH leaders to determine the candidate.
EC chairman Azhar Azizan Harun had announced that the Semenyih by-election would be held on March 2.
Nomination day has been set for Feb 16 and early voting will be on Feb 26.