PONTIAN, Sept 24 — Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) will support whoever is chosen as Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) candidate for the Tanjung Piai by-election, said its deputy president Datuk Salahuddin Ayub.

"Amanah will accept PH’s decision (on the candidate). So far, in the family spirit in PH, and just like in other by-elections before this, the party that contested there will field its candidate unless the PH Presidential Council decides otherwise,” he told reporters at the Pulai Sebatang assemblyman’s service centre here today.

The agriculture and agro-based industry minister said that as a local (of Tanjung Piai) he would go all out to help PH retain the parliamentary seat and that he had already met Amanah leaders in the constituency yesterday to map out the "battle plan”.

He added that he would be meeting Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal on Friday for the same purpose.

The seat fell vacant after its incumbent Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik, 43, of Bersatu, who was also deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, died due to a heart attack on Saturday (September 21).

Pakatan Harapan is made up of Bersatu, DAP, PKR and Amanah. The Election Commission will be meeting on Oct 1 to decide the dates for nomination and polling. — Bernama