Anwar Ibrahim (right) seen here with PKR’s Rafizi Ramli and Mohamed Azmin Ali, both of whom are heading for a showdown in the race for the deputy president’s post.

PETALING JAYA:

Anwar Ibrahim has pledged to enter the election fray in Port Dickson next month without any support from the government machinery.

“I have made it clear, I do not want any government facility or machinery to be used in this election,” he told a press conference called by PKR to formally announce his candidacy.

“This is an important signal that we are going to go into this election in a very clean and independent manner,” said Anwar, whose return to Parliament hinges on his victory in the Port Dickson by-election.

The by-election, to be held on Oct 13, was called after Port Dickson MP Danyal Balagopal Abdullah decided to vacate his seat for Anwar.

Anwar’s return to Parliament is crucial to ensure that Pakatan Harapan fulfils its promise to appoint him as prime minister, replacing Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

It will be the first time that the PKR president elect contests a seat outside his hometown of Penang, where he represented Permatang Pauh twice, including for 16 years before his dramatic sacking as deputy prime minister in 1998.

So far, independent candidate Stevie Chan and Parti Rakyat Malaysia have said they will challenge Anwar in the by-election.

Rivals Rafizi Ramli and Mohamed Azmin Ali sharing a moment during a press conference at the PKR headquarters to announce Anwar Ibrahim’s candidacy in Port Dickson.

Anwar today said he was not dismissing the rival candidates.

“We will have to appeal to voters and explain our position. We will have to work very hard.

“This is a democratic process. Everyone has the right to participate and offer themselves as candidates,” he said.

The press conference today was also attended by his wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali and his rival for the number two post, Rafizi Ramli.

Meanwhile, Anwar said the Port Dickson by-election campaign would not disrupt PKR’s election, which will kick off tomorrow.

“They (the leaders) can go to PD and campaign both for me and themselves,” he said in jest.

When asked about a dialogue session with students in Singapore in which he admitted to feeling that he should have been the one sworn in as prime minister, not Mahathir, Anwar said he had only been joking.

“They asked how I felt, watching the swearing-in ceremony on TV while serving a jail sentence.

“I said of course, it was my seat. But I was jailed. Otherwise, of course I would be there.

“I was only joking but it became a headline.”

LatestHeadlines

Anwar pledges ‘clean’ campaign in PD without govt machinery

He says the party will not make use of government machinery despite the many Cabinet posts filled by its leaders.