GE15: Sungai Buloh seat discussion was among the most complex - Rafizi

A complex and lengthy discussion was held to determine the most suitable candidate for Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the Sungai Buloh parliamentary constituency, revealed PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli said.

He acknowledged that there had been differences of opinion between the PKR's candidate selection committee and party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim pertaining to the proposal to drop incumbent MP Sivarasa Rasiah.

"The committee and I had proposed to retain Sivarasa based on his performance record but the president (Anwar) had a different view, and so that view must be respected as in any party, the power to endorse the candidate lies with the president.

"Yesterday, I relayed the feedback from voters (in Sungai Buloh) so that the candidacy can be reconsidered, but I respect the president's view that it was better to retain the candidate announced (Datuk R. Ramanan) so that ongoing campaign efforts can continue," he told a media conference at the PKR headquarters here today.

PKR selected Ramanan, who is PKR deputy information chief 1, for Sungai Buloh this time around, and among others, he will be facing Barisan Nasional's Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar, the Health Minister.

PKR has dropped eight incumbent MPs in Peninsular Malaysia for GE15, including Sivarasa, Maria Chin Abdullah (Petaling Jaya), Johari Abdul (Sungai Petani), Natrah Ismail (Sekijang), June Leow (Hulu Selangor), Dr Tan Yee Kew (Wangsa Maju), Dr Lee Boon Chye (Gopeng) and Chan Ming Kai (Alor Setar).

-- BERNAMA