The Pakatan Harapan chairman, however, did not tell reporters why he would not be campaigning for PKR’s Joohari Ariffin.

“No (I won’t), thank you,” he said briefly when met outside Masjid Al-Umm here after Friday prayers.

The prime minister also did not campaign for DAP’s Pang Sock Tao for the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election on May 11.

The by-election for the Sungai Bakap state seat in Penang will be held on July 6, with nominations taking place on June 22.

The seat fell vacant following the death of its assemblyman, Nor Zamri Latiff of PAS, from stomach inflammation on May 24.

PKR first wrested Sungai Bakap from Barisan Nasional in the 2008 general election and retained it for two more terms, before losing it to Perikatan Nasional last year.

PKR was the first party to announce its candidate for the by-election when it named Joohari, who used to be a director at the Aminuddin Baki Institute in Kedah, on Wednesday night.

The Sungai Bakap seat is a mixed seat with a 59.4% Malay electorate, followed by Chinese (22.5%), Indians (17.4%) and others (0.7%).