THE decision to vacate the Port Dickson seat, allowing for a by-election to be contested by Anwar Ibrahim, was made at a PKR political bureau meeting, said secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

“The meeting is held every Tuesday, at 8.30pm. Did we discuss the matter? Yes, and it was decided at the political bureau meeting,” he told a press conference after the National Intellectual Property Award 2018 in Kuala Lumpur today.

He was commenting on a statement by outgoing Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin, who questioned the party’s decision-making process.

She said the lack of transparency in making the decision led to confusion among the public, and made it seem that PKR was being manipulated by certain groups.

Saifuddin Nasution said such a statement should not have been issued, as Zuraida herself was a member of the political bureau.

Yesterday, Danyal Balagopal Abdullah announced his immediate resignation as Port Dickson MP, paving the way for the seat to be contested by Anwar, the PKR president-elect, in his bid to return to Parliament.

PKR vice-president Dr Xavier Jayakumar said all members supported Anwar running in the by-election.

“We have been waiting for this moment for so long. All party members accept the decision.

“We will provide unwavering support (to Anwar), and we will go down to the ground and help in his campaign to ensure his victory,” he told reporters in Petaling Jaya today.

Johor PKR chairman Hassan Abdul Karim said all of the state’s 26 party divisions would be mobilised to assist in the Port Dickson campaign.

“The party fully supports him (Anwar). Therefore, all state MPs and assemblymen will assist him in the by-election campaign,” he said in a statement today. – Bernama, September 13, 2018.