.JPG "Parti Rakyat Malaysiau00e2u20acu2122s candidate for the Port Dickson by-election, Ahmad Kamarudin is pictured during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur September 27, 2018. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Mukhriz Hazim")
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 — Would-be Port Dickson candidate Ahmad Kamarudin, 42, may be expelled from Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) after withdrawing from the by-election at the eleventh hour.
The party’s information chief Tan Kang Yap said its Port Dickson by-election committee was disappointed at being left out of the parliamentary poll when Ahmad dropped a bombshell by saying he had insufficient funds for the electoral deposit.
“We are upset and embarrassed by what happened, which was beyond our expectation. This matter could have been avoided if prior notice had been given,” Tan said in a statement today.
He added that the committee is also recommending that the party’s central leadership take disciplinary action “to strip Ahmad of his membership”.
“The decision has been directed to the central committee for the next step.
“With this we apologise to our supporters in Port Dickson for Ahmad Kamarudin’s unethical action betraying voters,” Tan said.
He added that Ahmad had also signed a pre-agreement with the party, and that it reserves the right to claim damages worth RM2 million if he broke his promise to contest.
“This issue has invited a lot of suspicion and negative perception towards him. He has lost credibility and his political career will be affected,” he added.
PRM said Ahmad had been one of three party members on its list to be fielded against PKR president elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the October 13 poll.
The by-election was called after its incumbent Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah resigned on September 12.
The Port Dickson parliamentary constituency has 75,770 voters. It is also PKR’s only parliamentary seat out of the five in the state.
