Perak PKR optimistic Anwar will retain Port Dickson seat for party

IPOH: The Perak PKR is optimistic that party president, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, is capable of retaining victory for the party in the by- election for the Port Dickson Parliamentary constituency based on his charisma and credibility.

State PKR chairman, Dr Muhammad Nur Manuty said Anwar was not only an icon in the political arena, in fact his experience was most needed to assist in national recovery after Pakatan Harapan (PH) was given the mandate to administer the nation.

“We are confident of winning although the people now had a slight syndrome of not coming out to cast their votes. Yet we are not worried as Anwar had his own charisma.

“If possible, we pray that he would win uncontested. If this would facilitate him as there is much work and national issues where his help is needed,” he said when contacted by Bernama yesterday.

On Sept 12, the seat was vacated by incumbent Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah, 68, to make way for Anwar to return to the Dewan Rakyat.

In the 14th General Election on May 9, Danyal won the seat with a majority of 17,710 by defeating Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Datuk VS Mogan and the PAS candidate, Mahfuz Roslan.

Meanwhile, Muhammad said the criticism by a handful of PKR leaders on the selection process of Anwar as the candidate for the Parliamentary seat was normal and did not represent the official statement of the party.

Perak PKR Information Head, Siti Aishah Shaik Ismail meanwhile said the state’s party machinery would be mobilised to assist Anwar in the by- election campaign. — Bernama