The Malaysian Insight

SELAYANG MP William Leong is ready to give up his seat for PKR president Anwar Ibrahim to contest in a by-election.

“If I am asked to, I will do so… and so would PKR’s other 50 MPs if they were asked. I don’t believe anyone would not want to give way to Anwar,” Leong told reporters in the Parliament lobby today.

Leong added that no discussions had taken place between him and Anwar.

His announcement comes after Anwar won the PKR presidency over the weekend uncontested in the party’s nomination for its internal elections next month.

Earlier today, outgoing PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is Anwar’s wife, as well as Nurul Izzah Anwar, his daughter, both said they would be vacating their federal seats for Anwar to contest.

Wan Azizah is the MP for Pandan and Nurul Izzah the MP for Permatang Pauh.

Anwar is slated to become the next prime minister, taking over from Dr Mahathir Mohamad by 2020. However, he needs to be elected as MP first.

Leong said vacating a seat for Anwar to contest did not amount to disrespecting the voters’ choice in the recent general election because the opposition icon should be given a chance to contest.

“It is not about disrespecting voters as we are all contesting for Keadilan (PKR). It’s not a game. We know that Anwar has been a political victim, so why shouldn’t he be given the chance?” Leong said.

70-year-old Anwar is contesting a post in PKR for the first time after being given a royal pardon for his second sodomy conviction after Pakatan Harapan won the recent election. – August 6, 2018