'Permatang Pauh candidate must represent the people, not the party' - Yusmadi

Pakatan Rakyat is urged to grab the opportunity to clinch the Permatang Pauh by-election to regain the trust of the 'rakyat' with fresh strategies.

RIGHTS group founder, Yusmadi Yusoff said to win the seat, PR needs to choose a suitable candidate who will represent the people and not just the party.

"The candidate doesn't need to be from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) or any other party in PR but someone who is chosen by the people.

"The candidates can be the likes of student activists Fahmi Zainol and Adam Adli, former RMAF personnel, Major Zaidi Ahmad and WADAH President Datuk Dr Siddiq Fadzil or renowned writer and poet, A.Samad Said (Pak Samad) or actor-poet, Mohd Supyan Abdul Rahman (Pyanhabib).

"These people represent the voice of change," said Yusmadi when met by Astro AWANI, Tuesday.

He said it is crucial to hold the by-election as it will answer pertinent questions such as the political future of PR.

"This by-election if held following the deaths of the late Karpal Singh and Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat (Tok Guru Nik Aziz) and Anwar's conviction.

"For me, the spirit of PR lies within the influence of these three leaders rather than the coalition itself," said Yusmadi, matter-of-factly.

Yusmadi said it was the teamwork of the three political chiefs that led to public's faith in Pakatan as an alternative to Barisan Nasional.

On February 10, the Federal Court upheld the Appeals Court's decision to convict Anwar, who is Permatang Pauh Parliamentary member, for committing sodomy.

The 67-year-old Opposition Leader was sentenced to five years' jail for sodomising his former aide, the 30-year-old Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan in 2008.

Anwar is deemed to have been disqualified as MP under Article 48 of the Federal Constitution, which states that an MP will be disqualified if he is jailed more than one year, or fined more than RM2,000.

Permatang Pauh seat will only be declared vacant 14 days from the date of conviction if Anwar fails to get a royal pardon. (To date, it is still a wonder if Anwar will ever beg for a royal pardon).