Zaid Ibrahim confirms he will contest in Kajang by-election

Former minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim today officially announced that he would be contesting as an independent candidate in the Kajang state seat by-election on March 23. He said the decision was made to "protect healthy politics and to uphold and respect the mandate of the people of Selangor given to the leadership of Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim as menteri besar". He said the plan by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who would also be a candidate in the by-election, to replace Khalid with himself was an outrageous political move which must be prevented and disapproved by the voters in Kajang. "The mandate and trust given to Khalid cannot simply be removed to serve Anwar's personal interest, and if Khalid needs to be removed, it should be through a democratic process like a vote of no-confidence passed at the state assembly sitting. "So, on the consideration of protecting the principle of healthy politics, I have decided to contest (in the by-election), the most important thing of which is to foil Anwar's plan to become menteri besar," he said at a news conference, here. Zaid, the former president of Parti Kesejahteraan Insan (KITA), is also out to use the campaign period to explain to the people on the importance of protecting a responsible leadership. He claimed that if he won the by-election, he would be able to stabilise the political situation in Selangor and bring development to Kajang. "I have good relations with leaders in the opposition pact and Barisan Nasional which I can use as a platform to plan development for the constituency. "So, I hope the voters in Kajang will make a wise choice in resolving the Khalid-Azmin and Anwar crisis which could impact the state's development," he said. Asked on his chances of winning, Zaid said: "I do have, provided BN's three prime leaders, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad do not come down here to campaign against me in the by-election." The Election Commission has set March 11 for nomination of candiates and March 23 for polling. The Kajang seat fell vacant after its incumbent assemblyman, lawyer Lee Chin Cheh from PKR, quit the post on Jan 27 to make way for Anwar to contest the seat.