KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — In the last week to the Port Dickson parliamentary poll, PAS said today it is considering filing an election petition to disqualify frontrunner Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from contesting.

PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan insisted the Pakatan Harapan candidate is ineligible because he did not get a "free pardon”.

"If the court doesn’t make a decision, we might file a petition. So, we are hoping for that,” he was quoted by The Star as saying in Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan.

Takiyuddin was referring to an appeal filed with the appellate court by a Port Dickson voter who claims Anwar’s royal pardon is defective as it came before the Pardons Board had convened on the matter. The High Court had dismissed the application.

The senior PAS man believes his party’s candidate Mohd Nazari Mokhtar has a strong chance of being declared the next MP by default if Anwar is disqualified. He expressed confidence that the retired airman can secure the highest votes, after Anwar.

"If we get the second highest votes, there is a possibility for us to be declared as a winner,” Takiyuddin was quoted saying.

The Star also reported Anwar himself dismissing Takiyuddin’s potential legal challenge as a desperate move.

"He does not have any other material. Let him be. Let him ask in court,” Anwar was quoted saying.