ALOR STAR: Pas will be fielding its Langkawi division chief Zubir Ahmad to contest the parliamentary seat after its partner in the Gagasan Sejahtera pact, Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia (Ikatan) decided to withdraw from contesting in the hot seat.
Kedah Pas commissioner Ahmad Fakhruddin Sheikh Fakhrurrazi said the decision to field 55-year-old Zubir was made by the Pas Central Committee.
Zubir is a seasoned Pas member and had contested the Ayer Hangat state seat in the previous general election but lost to Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Datuk Mohd Rawi Abd Hamid, to retain the seat for the second term.
Following the announcement, Pas will be contesting all the Kedah 15 parliamentary seats and 36 state seats in the 14th General Election (GE14) this May 9.
"We accept Ikatan's decision when they said they are not ready to contest in Langkawi, so we decided to field own candidate," he said in a press conference at the state Pas headquarters in Kota Sarang Semut here today.
Former federal minister-turned-Pas ally Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir was reported as saying Ikatan will not be contesting in Langkawi parliamentary seat, citing that they are not ready to do so.
On another note, Fakhruddin announced changes to the Jerai parliamentary seat following a technical issue.
He said former teacher Sabri Azit, 52, who is the Jerai Pas deputy chief will replace Mohamad Ismail to contest for the seat.
