“PAS members in Sungai Kandis are instructed to choose based on the interest of Islam/Malays as well as the country’s future,” said PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan in a statement.

He said the party’s stand on Pakatan Harapan (PH), the coalition it opposed during the May polls, still remained, adding that the opposition is still needed for a check-and-balance role.

The Sungai Kandis by-election on Aug 4 will see a three-way fight between PKR, Umno and an independent candidate.

PKR is represented by religious teacher Zawawi Mughni, while Umno is represented by its Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam. Murthy Krishnasamy is standing as an independent.

PKR has won the state seat in the past three general elections. The seat fell vacant after the death of PKR assemblyman Mat Shuhaimi Shafie on July 2.

Takiyuddin also said PAS decided to stay out of the Sungai Kandis contest as the party was still waiting for a post-mortem report on its electoral performance in Selangor.

Meanwhile, BN candidate Lokman is trying to woo PAS to win the hearts of the Malay voters there.

“I have contacted my friends from PAS… to discuss the possibility of us (BN) working together with PAS branch leaders here during the campaign.

“But I have to focus on meeting BN leaders here first, so maybe I will meet PAS leaders on Wednesday or Thursday,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.