Race Factor Not Considered When Choosing PKR Candidate, Says Khalid

SHAH ALAM, April 11 (Bernama) -- Selangor Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) liaison chief, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, said PKR did not give importance to race when selecting its candidate for the Hulu Selangor parliamentary by-election on April 25.
He said PKR would merely choose the "best" candidate who would be dedicated, hardworking and strive for the betterment of the people and voters of the constituency.
"No need to politicise the issue (of race) when selecting the best candidate for an election. This is a political matter. The issue (of race) shouldn't be seen as a "sandiwara politik pilihan raya" (an election political drama).
"We in PKR do not look at that aspect (race) but instead look for an eligible candidate who can win the hearts and minds of the voters in Hulu Selangor," Khalid told reporters after launching the Selangor-level People's Tuition Programme, near here, on Sunday.
Khalid was responding to a statement made by Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan in a Malay daily which challenged PKR to field a non-Malay candidate for the Hulu Selangor by-election in an attempt to give fairness to all races in that constituency.
Voters in Hulu Selangor will go to the polls on April 25 to elect a new member of parliament following the death of the incumbent, Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad of PKR on March 25. BN will field a candidate from the MIC in the by-election, nomination for which is on April 17.
Khalid, who is Selangor Menteri Besar, said Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders would meet in the next two days to decide on the "right" candidate, expected to be announced on Tuesday night.
On another note, Khalid said the state government spent RM3.4 million each year for the People's Tuition Programme and about 5,600 pupils in the state benefited from the programme every year.

tunku : race issue is a very important as we need all the races to have enough voice in the parliament,so saying that race factor is not considered when choosing for candidates is not a right thing to say.don't tell us that pkr don't have credible Indian leader to be the candidate in Hulu Selangor? if they want the votes they will promise moon and sky but when come to power distibuting, they conquer all by themselves. i wonder if BN had said this, the pakatan will surely create havoc and shouting,screaming up and down from Perlis to Sabah that BN is not giving opportunity to other races but when they do it it's all ok and not wrong.