PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim has denied any knowledge of his daughter, Nurul Izzah Anwar being proposed as a possible candidate in the Seri Setia state by-election to pave the way for him to take over as Permatang Pauh MP.

Anwar said all that was news to him, and asked why Nurul Izzah would trade her parliamentary seat for a state seat.

“I have not heard about it. Why would Izzah go to a state (seat)?,” he said at the sidelines of a students’ gathering at the Malaysian Student Leaders Summit XII in Kuala Lumpur today.

Quoting party sources, The Malaysian Insight reported earlier today that Nurul Izzah had been proposed to stand in the Seri Setia by-election to be held on September 8.

The seat fell vacant following the death of Prof Shaharuddin Badaruddin on August 2 from colon cancer.

Anwar said the idea would be considered if someone should make the suggestion.

“No one has suggested it. If anyone does, I will consider it.”

If Nurul Izzah vacates the Permatang Pauh seat, she will be disqualified from sitting in the Dewan Rakyat for five years from the date of her resignation.

She has repeatedly denied she would step aside for her father, described the constituency as “her eternal love”.

Last week Anwar won the PKR presidency uncontested, marking another step forward in his planned ascension to the prime minister’s office.

The Election Commission (EC) announced on Wednesday that the Seri Setia by-election would be held simultaneously with the Balakong by-election. – August 11, 2018.