KUALA LUMPUR, April — Several Selangor PAS members are expected to leave their party after incumbent Paya Jaras assemblyman Mohd Khairuddin Othman defected from PAS, Selangor PKR said.

Selangor PKR information chief Hizwan Ahmad said the crossover of additional members would most probably happen as the general election approaches.  

"Yes, there is a possibility more members of PAS Selangor joining PKR and Pakatan Harapan (PH),” he said when contacted by ProjekMMO, Malay Mail’s sister publication, today. 

"However, the question of who, and how many are involved; I cannot reveal as we are still in discussions,” he said. 

This comes after an announcement by caretaker Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali during a ceramah on Sunday night that Mohd Khairuddin had joined PKR.

In 2013, the former Selangor PAS secretary won the seat by 5,522 votes.

He received 21,808 votes, defeating Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Muhammad Bushro Mat Johor.

Mohd Khairuddin was dropped from a leadership position in the state government after he reportedly expressed his dissatisfaction over the split between PAS and Pakatan Harapan (PH).

PAS had competed for 20 state seats in Selangor during the last elections in 2013 and won 15 of them. Two of its state representatives left the party for PAS splinter party, Parti Amanah Negara.

This time around, PAS will likely compete for 42 out of the 56 state seats in Selangor.

Seat negotiations among PH component parties in Selangor have yet to be finalised pending the inclusion of the former PAS incumbent lawmakers.

It is understood Mohd Khairuddin is confident of retaining his Paya Jaras seat, amid suggestions that he may compete for a parliamentary seat under the PH ticket.  

ProjekMMO was made to understand that at least two PAS members who are pro-PH will leave their party.