GE15: Port Dickson PKR did not recommend me for seat, says Aminuddin

Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun. -filepic

SEREMBAN: Port Dickson PKR has not recommended Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun (pic) as one of the candidates for the Parliamentary seat.

Aminuddin, who is its division chief, said it was up to the PKR president and incumbent Port Dickson MP Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to decide on the candidate.

"We are aware of talk that Anwar may not defend his seat as he has received offers to stand elsewhere," said Aminuddin.

"But I can confirm that my name was not submitted as one of the options," he told reporters after chairing the state exco meeting at Wisma Negri here on Wednesday (Oct 19).

Talk is rife that Aminuddin, who is from Port Dickson, will replace Anwar if the latter decides to contest for another seat.

The Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar and Sikamat assemblyman also said the division wanted to submit his name as a potential candidate but he did not allow it.

He was previously the head of Tampin PKR but moved his membership to Port Dickson earlier this year.

He then contested for the Port Dickson division's top post in party elections and defeated incumbent and state deputy PKR chief Datuk M. Ravi.

In a 2018 by-election, Anwar won the Port Dickson Parliamentary seat with a whopping 23,560-vote majority in a multi-cornered fight, surpassing the 17,710-vote majority obtained by the previous MP Datuk Danyal Balagopal during GE14.

Aminudin, who is also a PKR vice-president, said several names were sent in by each division in the constituencies the party plans to contest and further shortlisted to two or three before the list was submitted to Anwar.

He said non-governmental organisations, professionals and other individuals who sent in their own recommendations and these would be assessed by the party leadership.

Separately, Aminuddin also confirmed that PKR would contest three of the eight parliamentary constituencies under the Pakatan Harapan banner in the state.

The three seats PKR will contest are Port Dickson, Rembau and Kuala Pilah, while Parti Amanah Negara will contest Jelebu, Jempol and Tampin. DAP will defend Seremban and Rasah.

In GE14, PKR also contested the Rembau seat but lost. Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, which used to be part of Pakatan Harapan, contested for and won the Kuala Pilah seat.