Azmin denies issuing ultimatum to PAS excos

PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali has denied issuing an ultimatum to Selangor executive councillors from PAS to resign or have their party stay out of the Sungai Besar Parliamentary by-election next month.

He said the focus currently is to have discussions with various opposition parties to contest in the parliamentary seat.

"I am meeting Parti Amanah Negara today. Ultimatum? There is none. It is not true. Our focus is on discussing the seat first, and that is not yet complete," he told reporters after chairing the weekly Selangor Economic Action Council meeting at the State Secretariat building here.

He was asked to comment on a report of an English daily that he had asked the Selangor executive councillors from PAS to resign by Monday if their party insisted on going ahead to contest in the by-election.

The report said that Mohamed Azmin wanted PKR to contest the seat instead of PAS or Amanah.

Asked whether PAS would remain in the state administration if it contested the seat, the Selangor Menteri Besar said: "Don't jump to conclusions."

Polling for the Sungai Besar by-election will be held on June 18, nomination on June 5 and early voting on June 14.

The seat fell vacant following the death of Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Noriah Kasnon in a helicopter crash in Sebuyau, Sarawak, on May 5.