MALACCA, Feb 10 – Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) will most likely field an Indian candidate for the Bukit Selambau by-election in Kedah following the resignation of the state seat’s incumbent assemblyman V. Arumugam yesterday.
PKR advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said considering that the seat had been allocated to PKR, the party would definitely field a candidate to contest the seat.
“Most probably we’ll also choose an Indian candidate in place,” he said after meeting with Malacca PKR leaders and members in Cheng, here, last night.
Arumugam, 55, is a retired mechanic who had served with the Royal Malaysian Air Force. In the 12th general election last year, he contested the Bukit Selambau seat as an Independent and defeated S. Krishnan from Barisan Nasional with a majority of 7,695 votes.
He emerged as an Independent candidate at the last minute on nomination day after the nomination papers of PKR candidate Saiful Izham Ramli were rejected by the Election Commission due to a technicality.
Arumugam then joined PKR and was appointed state executive councillor in charge of domestic trade and consumer affairs, Siamese and Indian affairs, unity and plantation workers.
Anwar said Arumugam had informed him and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail on his decision to quit as state executive council member and assemblyman.
He said PKR and Pakatan Rakyat were prepared to face the by-election. “That is, if the Election Commission can confirm Arumugam’s resignation. We are worried in case it’s said that there is no resignation letter but I have seen the letter myself,” he added.
On the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat by-election in Perak, following the death of the incumbent MP Roslan Shaharum from a heart attack yesterday, Anwar said he would leave it to Pas to choose its candidate for the by-election. – Bernama
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