Amanah will defend Pulai and Simpang Jeram seats, says Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Harapan will honour component party Amanah's right to contest the Pulai parliamentary seat and Simpang Jeram state seat in Johor, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The seats fell vacant following the death of Amanah deputy president Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub on July 23.

Anwar, who is Pakatan chairman, said however that the coalition's presidential council would still make the final decision on the candidates.

"The matter needs to be decided by the council first, and then brought up at unity government level.

"However, Pakatan will respect past decisions on the seats," the Prime Minister said on Friday (Aug 4), when asked which party would be contesting the seats.

On Thursday (Aug 3), Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh announced that voters in Pulai and Simpang Jeram would go to the ballot box on Sept 9 to elect their new representatives.

Abdul Ghani added that the EC had fixed Nomination Day for Aug 26 while early voting would be on Sept 5.

The polls were expected to cost RM6mil, of which RM4.5mil would be to organise the Pulai by-election and RM1.5mil for Simpang Jeram.

The late Salahuddin won the Pulai seat for the third time in the 15th General Election on Nov 19, securing 64,900 votes.

In the Johor state election earlier last year, he was returned as Simpang Jeram assemblyman with a 2,399-vote majority.

He passed away at age 61 after surgery for a brain haemorrhage.

He was also domestic trade and cost of living minister in the unity government Cabinet.