MUDA is considering contesting for Kuala Kubu Baharu despite losing the state seat in the last election, setting up a multi-cornered fight seen as a barometer for the 18-month Anwar Ibrahim government.

The youth party said that should it decide to sit out the fight, it would not be backing any political coalition.

Muda media liaison head Leben Siddarth told The Malaysian Insight the party aimed to be a “third force” and would not ally with Pakatan Harapan (PH) or Perikatan Nasional (PN).

In the state elections in August last year, Muda was represented by Dr Siva Prakash for the Kuala Kubu Baharu seat. However, he only managed to garner 1,186 votes in a four-cornered fight, which was won by DAP/Pakatan Harapan’s Lee Kee Hiong, who won 14,862 votes. 

The seat is set to see a by-election following Lee’s death on March 21.

Muda lost all the seats it contested in the Selangor elections

“As a party, Muda will remain a third force. This stands same even if we decide not to contest,” Leben said. 

“However, party members who are voting in the constituency can fulfil their obligations by voting for who they want. 

“The party will not instruct its members to vote for a specific party,” he added. 

In September last year, Muda withdrew from the government bloc with the aim of becoming a political third force.

Muda’s decision to leave the government bloc in parliament reduced support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration. 

However, Anwar’s government quickly re-established its majority when six Bersatu lawmakers pledged allegiance to it.

Earlier this year, there was talk of Muda joining PN. 

PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said the opposition coalition will conduct a nationwide roadshow called “Jelajah PN” after Ramadan.

Muhyiddin said Muda’s sole MP, Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman will join the programme, claiming he is “pro-PN”.

Muda secretary-general Amir Hariri Abd Hadi has denied the party’s involvement in the event, saying the party had not even discussed the matter. 

Leben, meanwhile, said that Muda has instructed the party’s Selangor chapter to draft a report for the state seat. 

He said the report will be presented to the party’s central executive committee meeting before a decision is made. 

“We are convening the CEC meeting on April 7 and we will only announce (the decision) after that” he said. 

In the six state elections last year, Muda fielded 20 candidates, 14 of them in Selangor. It failed to win a single seat with all its candidates losing their election deposits. – April 4, 2024.