IPOH: Amanah has decided not to contest the Ayer Kuning by-election and will instead support the candidate chosen by Barisan Nasional.
Perak Amanah chairman Datuk Asmuni Awi stated that the decision aims to strengthen and ensure a stable unity state government by backing Barisan to represent the unity government.
"The undivided support will give a clear indication to the people that political stability achieved through the unity government must be preserved.
"This is to ensure the planning and policies being implemented, whether at state-level or federal, remain the priority for the country," he said in a statement on Monday (Feb 24).
"We have started early preparations in arranging its machinery to ensure the candidate put forward by Barisan would retain the seat, to strengthen the cooperation and spirit of unity between Barisan and Pakatan Harapan in the state," he added.
Ayer Kuning assemblyman Ishsam Shahruddin, 58, passed away in Penang on Saturday (Feb 22). The first-term assemblyman collapsed while participating in a friendly football championship in George Town and died at the Penang Hospital at 6.28pm.
In the 2022 General Election, Ishsam polled 9,088 votes and won by a 2,213 majority, defeating Amanah's Mohd Nazri Hashim, Muhammad Noor Farid of PAS, KS Bawani from PSM, and Pejuang's Maziah Salim.
Asmuni mentioned that Perak Amanah, during its committee meeting on Sunday (Feb 23), instructed its Wanita, Youth, and Wanita Youth wings to hold early meetings with Barisan to discuss strategies targeting youth and women voters in the by-election.
"We are confident that the unity government can become a good model that shows stable cooperation between Barisan and Pakatan, which will benefit the people through government policies," he added.
