Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has challenged Prime Minister Najib Razak to give a walkover at Penanti, where a by-election is due to be called following the resignation of its assemblyman Fairus Khairuddin.“I call upon the BN and Umno leadership not to field any candidate against Keadilan in the Penanti by-election and give us a walkover.
It will not only save taxpayers’ money, time and energy, but also will be consistent with the PM’s statement,” Anwar said at a late-night address at his Permatang Pauh constituency.
Najib had accused Anwar of playing political games and ‘deliberately’ forcing the Penanti by-election.
The prime minister’s Umno -BN coalition has lost four out of five by-elections to Anwar’s Pakatan Rakyat since March 2008. His supporters believe that he cannot afford to lose another - not without severe backlash from rivals within his own Umno party.
Said Najib: “The people generally do not like by-elections that are held deliberately. There is so much time, energy and money being spent on by-elections that we do not even need.”
Meanwhile, taking the cue from Najib, the Election Commission said it would need time to study in detail whether a vacancy had occurred and the circumstances of the case before responding.
EC chairman Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof told reporters his commission would meet on Wednesday, Apr 22, and announce its decision only on Friday, Apr 24.
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