PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said she will consider being a “torchbearer” candidate for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat where a by-election is likely.

Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia has confirmed that her husband and Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is no longer the Permatang Pauh MP and the seat has been declared vacant.

The ruling took effect from March 16, when the Pardons Board declined Anwar's petition for a pardon. He is serving a five-year sentence for sodomy.

Wan Azizah who is also Kajang assemblyperson, said any decision on the candidate for that seat would be decided by the party.

 

“If I am deemed to be the 'torchbearer' candidate, then I will  stand again.

 

“But winning will depend on the voters. I know them and I have been around for sometime. I just took a step back for Anwar ( right ), and I feel they will recognise me.

“I hope I can give the service that the people are hoping for,” she said when met at the Selangor state assembly today.

Wan Azizah was MP for Permatang Pauh when she won the seat in 1999 and 2008. But she stood down some months later to make way for Anwar in the by-election that followed.

Influential with voters

Meanwhile in Penang, PKR Penang Permatang Pauh Youth chief Mohd Sharmizan Mohd Noor said the wing wants Wan Azizah as a candidate as no one can deny her credibility and experience as the former MP of the constituency.

He said Wan Azizah is familiar and friendly with voters in Permatang Pauh and she appears to be "influential" with all the communities there.

"She is the uniting force within PKR, as unity is utmost important to fight Umno and BN," said Mohd Sharmizan.

"Her whole body and spirit is the most suitable to lead PKR to fight this battle with DAP and PAS," he added.