KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 — Pakatan Harapan must field candidates in two by-elections on June 18 even if it results in a clash with opposition party PAS, DAP Selangor chief Tony Pua said today.

The Petaling Jaya Utara MP also said the opposition pact stood a good chance of besting PAS in the  Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar polls, as the latter’s support in the two areas were shifting.

Pua asserted that voters knew they could not depend on PAS to express their dissatisfaction against Barisan Nasional that controls the federal government, citing Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s perceived closeness to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

“As such, it is imperative that Pakatan Harapan is represented in the by-elections so its many supporters may choose a party that will truly oppose the greedy and corrupt BN government,” he said in a statement.

Pua further corroborated previous reports that Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali was attempting to convince PAS to yield the Sungai Besar spot to PKR, saying the Islamist party’s refusal will prevent a straight fight from occurring.

DAP would also pool all its resources behind Amanah to take on both PAS and BN in Sungai Besar, he said while omitting mention of Kuala Kangsar.

Acknowledging concerns about multiway fights in both polls after failure to avoid friendly fire in Sarawak earlier this month ate into the opposition's support, Pua said DAP believed only Pakatan Harapan was a viable alternative to BN.

He said PAS on its own did not have any chance of becoming the next ruling party.

“Hence, voters in Sungai Besar will not waste their votes on a party that is not capable of replacing BN as the government,” he added.

Amanah yesterday pressed its case for the two by-elections, urging PKR to abandon any further negotiations with PAS on the subject.

It also told PKR it could not contest against PAS in Sungai Besar without damaging their relations in the Selangor state administration.

Hadi during the weekend underscored his party’s refusal to yield either seat to Pakatan Harapan, saying it was the best placed to win in both areas traditionally contested by PAS.

The Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections will be held on June 18, and were triggered by the death of the incumbents in a helicopter crash ahead of the Sarawak poll.