PKR president Anwar Ibrahim will contest in a Malay-majority seat for Parliament and not in Selayang as offered by incumbent MP William Leong, a party official said.

The official also said Anwar’s bid to re-enter Parliament will not take place this year.

“If Anwar is standing, it will be in a Malay-majority seat. Only then will it be significant and command public confidence. But it won’t be this year.

“He is not in a rush, (he wants to) let Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad complete (his) reforms,” the official added in response to Leong’s recent offer to vacate his seat for Anwar.

Anwar received a royal pardon and was released on May 16 after Pakatan Harapan won the general election on May 9. 

Under an agreement between all four coalition parties, he is to succeed Dr Mahathir as prime minister by 2020, but first needs to become a parliamentarian.

“Anwar must have the support of the Malays to be prime minister. In Langkawi, where Dr Mahathir stood (and won), 90% of voters are Malays.” 

PKR would have to take into account the voter breakdown of the proposed seat and performance of the incumbent before making a decision, the source added.

Voter breakdown for Selayang in the 14th general election was 52% Malay, Chinese (29%), Indian (18%) and others (1%).

“Leong is a senior MP. (We will) first consider MPs that are not performing. It is also unfair to decide only after three months,” said the official.

PKR vice-president Tian Chua told The Malaysian Insight that the party leadership had not yet discussed where Anwar would contest.

“The party polls are going on now, (and) we have not discussed who will make way for Anwar,” he had said.

Chua said the matter was not urgent and could be decided later.

Deputy Prime Minister and Pandan MP Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said yesterday they would vacate their seats for Anwar.

Wan Azizah said many federal lawmakers had offered to make way for Anwar but was mum on any confirmation.

Permatang Pauh has been Anwar’s stronghold since 1982.

He had been MP there until he was jailed in 1999 over sodomy and corruption charges after being sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998.

After Anwar was released from jail, he won back the seat in a 2008 by-election and in the 2013 election.

Former PKR president Wan Azizah had made way for Anwar in August 2008.

She defended Permatang Pauh in the 1999, 2004 and 2008 elections and 2015 by-election after Anwar was jailed a second time on a sodomy charge.

Anwar’s daughter and PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah defended the seat in the 14th general election.

Permatang Pauh has 72% Malay voters, Chinese (21.4%), Indian (6%) and others (0.5%). – August 8, 2018.