Muhammad, who is popularly called Mat Taib, said in a statement that if Parti Amanah Negara or PKR were to also put up a candidate in both by-elections, then BN would end up winning the seats.

The former Umno strongman, who subsequently joined PAS before defecting to PKR, said Pakatan Harapan’s image had been smeared in the Sarawak elections, due to the issue of overlapping seats between DAP and PKR.

“If PAS has announced that they want to contest, let them contest and we support the move,” he said, adding that if PAS betrayed the people by supporting BN later on, then the people would judge them.

“Public perception is vital. If we field one candidate and we give our undivided support, the people could heave a sigh of relief,” he said.

He explained, this would in turn see them win the people’s support and confidence ahead of GE14.

“However, if opposition parties continued to squabble, then the people would begin to doubt their leadership.”

Both BN and PAS have announced their intentions to contest both parliament seats.

Yesterday, Selangor DAP chairman Tony Pua said Pakatan Harapan must place a candidate in the Sungai Besar seat.

He had said that Pakatan Harapan supporters there said they would rather vote BN than PAS if the contest was a straight fight.

The Election Commission has fixed June 18 for polling with the nomination date falling on June 5.

The by-election for the Sungai Besar parliamentary seat, along with the Kuala Kangsar parliamentary seat, were triggered by the deaths of their incumbents, Noriah Kasnon and Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad, in a helicopter crash in Sarawak on May 5.