PKR adviser Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has implored voters in the Pandan constituency to cast their ballots for any candidate who contests under the party’s banner in the next general election.

With party deputy president Rafizi Ramli expressing his desire to contest the seat, Wan Azizah, who is incumbent MP, said voters could back her or Rafizi. 

“If I’m fated to contest here, give me your votes. 

“But if it is Rafizi, then give him your votes,” she told some 200 people who attended the Ayuh Malaysia rally held in Pandan last night. 

Rafizi, who is PKR election director, said he had told the party leadership that he wants to contest in the Pandan seat and is awaiting a decision.

Rafizi won the Pandan seat in 2013 on his parliamentary electoral debut, beating Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Lim Chin Yee by a majority of 26,729 votes. 

Rafizi could not defend the seat in the 2018 general election because of a court case, and the seat was won by then PKR president Wan Azizah, who beat BN’s Leong Kok Wee with a majority of 52,543 votes. 

Referring to Rafizi, Wan Azizah said the country needs young leaders who are brave to speak out for the people. 

“We need those who are brave and courageous, who dare to speak the truth and even go to prison because of it,” the former women, family and community development minister said. 

Without mentioning names, Wan Azizah took a swipe at former PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali, who called himself “Anak Jantan” and dared his rivals to challenge him at Gombak constituency. 

“We need young people who can speak up unlike someone who challenged me to come and contest in his place. 

“I don’t want to mention names here,” she said, adding that those who betrayed the mandate of the people in the last general election should be defeated.

Wan Azizah also said she owes much to the people of Pandan, who elected her as their parliamentary representative. 

“I’d been a MP at Permatang Pauh for a long time but the moment I became MP for Pandan, I became the first female deputy prime minister in the country. 

“Thank you, Pandan, for that,” she added. – October 5, 2022.