KUALA LUMPUR, April 13 — PAS announced today its intention to contest in the May 5 Rompin by-election, adding that it will reveal its candidate next Monday.

The Pahang parliamentary seat is a known Umno stronghold and was vacated following the fatal helicopter crash earlier this month that killed its elected representative Tan Sri Jamaluddin Jarjis and five others.

“After a meeting today on April 13, Monday… we have decided to contest in the Rompin by-election. We will also decide the candidate on April 20,” PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu told a news conference at its party headquarters here.

PAS vice-president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man also played down the Islamist party’s chances for victory in Rompin, a known Umno stronghold.

“Win or lose, we want an opportunity to reach to the people and raise various issues affecting their constituency,” Tuan Ibrahim said.

In the last general election, the late Jamaluddin retained Rompin by beating former Wanita PAS chief Nuridah Mohd Salleh with a majority of 15,114 votes.

He had held Rompin seat for 23 years.

Based on the 2013 electoral roll there are 53,596 registered voters in the semi-urban seat with Malays forming 80 per cent of the electorate.

The Chinese form only 2 per cent of the roll while the balance is a mix of other ethnicities.