SEPANG: SEPANG: The unity government will announce its candidate for the Sungai Bakap by-election in Penang next week.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the prospective candidate would be from PKR, but he did not discount the possibility that it could be from other coalition members.
"We have listed the prospective candidates. We will choose a qualified one. There are many who are qualified, and we will announce who next week.
"I have asked PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli to decide on a suitable date (to announce). But the process is that we will first discuss it in the unity government leadership council meeting, which includes Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional," he said after Friday prayers at Sultan Abdul Samad Mosque in Kuala Lumpur International Airport here.
When asked which party the candidate would be from, he said that so far, the one from PKR was being recommended.
"So far, that is the proposal, but we will ultimately finalise it in a meeting with other coalition party members," he said.
The Election Commission (EC) fixed July 6 for the Sungai Bakap by-election, triggered following the death of its assemblyman Nor Zamri Latiff on May 24.
EC deputy chairman Professor Azmi Sharom said the nomination of candidates for the by-election would be held on June 22 , while early voting is set for July 2.
On Monday, the Penang unity pact had agreed to field a candidate from PKR to contest the by-election.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who heads the pact, said the decision was unanimously agreed by all parties.
PKR had submitted the names of five potential candidates to the top leadership for a decision.