The Malaysian Insight

ANWAR Ibrahim will run in the Port Dickson parliamentary seat in the PKR president-elect’s first step to become the prime minister, his party said today. 

The last time he was in a similar major contest was in 1993 when he challenged the late Ghafar Baba for the Umno deputy presidency to be within a heartbeat of the country’s top job. 

Party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said today Anwar decided on Port Dickson after considering all the seats offered up by PKR lawmakers.

Anwar has also informed Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad of the decision while Saifuddin did the same with other Pakatan Harapan leaders yesterday.

The Malaysian Insight reported yesterday that based on winnability and by eliminating other factors, the best seat for Anwar’s to return to Parliament is either Port Dickson or Selayang.

Saifuddin said Port Dickson was selected as it was seen to be a safe seat .

“Teluk Kemang, or Port Dickson, has been represented by PKR for the last three terms. As such, we consider it to be one of the safest seats,” he said. 

Port Dickson’s incumbent first-time MP First Admiral (rtd) Danyal Balagopal Abdullah will make now way for Anwar.

However, PKR must be mindful of warnings issued by National Patriots Association (Patriot) which said Danyal should be retained to articulate issues pertaining to the military and the often-overlooked welfare of veterans.

Patriot president Brig-Gen (rtd) Mohamed Arshad Raji said veterans were buoyed by Danyal’s victory on a PKR ticket against Barisan Nasional and PAS in GE14.

Arshad said asking Danyal to give up the seat might cause a backlash among veterans and those still serving in the Port Dickson constituency.

Anwar must return to Parliament before he can succeed Dr Mahathir in two years.

Asked if Anwar’s wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Pandan MP) and his daughter Nurul Izzah (Permatang Pauh MP) should have given up their seats for Anwar instead, Saifuddin said the two were proven lawmakers. 

“Wan Azizah and Nurul Izzah have been tested. They were chosen via a process of democracy, it was not Anwar who chose them.” – September 12, 2018.