Wan Azizah dismisses PAS factor in Sg Kandis by-election

SHAH ALAM: Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has downplayed PAS' open support for Barisan Nasional (BN) at the Sungai Kandis by-election.
The PKR president said the party's candidate, Zawawi Ahmad Mughni, would have what it takes to retain the PKR seat on Aug 4, going by his credential as an ustaz.
"We don't think so (PAS' support for BN will affect PKR's chances). Because I think the divide and contest is between Umno and PKR," she said after a tea session with Sungau Kandis voters as part of Pakatan Harapan's (PH) by-election campaign today.
"PAS of course can give its support to any candidates, but I think our candidate, having the credentials of an ustaz, has what we think will attract the voters. They (voters) will give us the support we need to maintain this seat."
The deputy prime minister was responding to a claim by PAS information chief Nasrudin Hassan on Saturday night urging his party's supporters to "teach PH a lesson" in the Sungai Kandis by-election even if it meant voting for rivals Umno.
"We must make sure they lose this by-election. How? By voting this guy right here," he had said, while pointing at the BN candidate, Umno's Datuk Lokman Noor Adam.
During the 14th General Election on May 9, PKR's Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei — who died on July 2 due to cancer — won the seat with 23,998 votes, compared with BN's Datuk Kamaruzzaman Johari (11,518), PAS' Mohd Yusof Abdullah (7,573) and Parti Rakyat Malaysia's Hanafiah Husin (76).
Meanwhile, Wan Azizah said she would remain neutral about the race for the party's deputy-presidency, which will most likely see current vice-president Rafizi Ramli challenge incumbent deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.
"I support everyone in PKR and I think this (contest for a position) is a democratic and healthy practice. Competitions allow our party to grow," she said.
Asked to comment on former premier Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's claim that the rakyat were unhappy with PH since it took over as government, Wan Azizah said: "We have just been the government for many days. They have been here for 60 years."
On the role of the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP), Wan Azizah said it was formed due to the inexperience of many of the current Cabinet members, who mostly were never a part of the federal government.
"They are just acting as advisors. But whether or not we take their advices is up to the prime minister and the other Cabinet members.
"We wanted advice because not many in the present Cabinet have experience as a federal government. So this is how we choose to make decisions among the ministers," she said.