KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 — PAS said today it will not be contesting the upcoming Semenyih by-election, and will instead support any candidate Barisan Nasional places for the state seat.

In a statement, PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said the decision was made by the PAS leadership yesterday.

“PAS hopes that the by-election will result in a decision that will strengthen the Opposition especially in the Selangor state assembly. A more constructive check and balance role by the Opposition will benefit the people of Selangor,” he said.

Semenyih assemblyman Bakhtiar Mohd Nor died on January 11. He was the Hulu Langat Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia division chief.

In Election 2018, he ran in Semenyih, a 68 per cent Malay majority seat, against Umno’s Datuk Johan Abd Aziz, PAS’ Mad Shahmidur Mat Kosim and PSM’s S. Arutchelvan.

Bakhtiar won by a majority of 8,964 votes against Johan, his closest rival, who landed 14,464 votes.