PKR to reshuffle candidates in S’gor

Criteria set for those contesting, says official

KLANG: PKR candidates will be reshuffled in several state constituencies in Selangor as a strategy to gain more votes in the next general election.

According to a party insider, the move includes moving current Ijok assemblyman Dr Idris Ahmad (pic) to contest the Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary seat.

Former Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, who turned Independent after he was sacked by PKR in 2014, is the current Bandar Tun Razak MP as well as Pelabuhan Klang assemblyman.

“Since the Barisan Nasional candidate for Ijok will be from MIC, PKR will also be fielding an Indian candidate for the state seat,” said the insider.

In the 13th general election, Dr Idris beat MIC’s Parthiban Karuppiah by only a 739-vote majority and party leaders reckoned fielding an Indian candidate would garner PKR a bigger victory.

“It’s the same with the Bukit Melawati state seat, where PKR’s former member S. Manickavasagam lost to Umno’s Jakiran Jacomah, who won with an 806-vote majority,” the insider added.

He said since the constituency had a Malay-majority electorate, the party leaders believed a Malay candidate would fare better in Bukit Melawati.

The source said the party leaders had identified Selayang division deputy chairman Gunaraj George to contest in Ijok and Selangor Wanita PKR member Juwairiya Zulkifli for Bukit Melawati.

“Both are already going to the constituencies to get to know the people there,” said the source.

Meanwhile, Selangor PKR information chief Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei said candidate selection underlined one of the party’s strategies for the 14th general election.

“All those who have been identified to contest have already started working in their respective constituencies,” said Mat Shuhaimi, who is also Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali’s political secretary.

He said the party had set several criteria for its candidates for the upcoming polls.

“We will be selecting quality candidates who are well-educated, not too old, familiar with politics as well as proficient in our people-centric policies,” he said.

Mat Shuhaimi added that the final decision on the candidates, however, would be made by the party leadership.