DAP MP Tony Pua warned that losing the Kajang by-election would not just bury the political career of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim but likely Pakatan Rakyat (PR) along with it. — file picture

PETALING JAYA, Feb 6 — Suggesting the high stakes involved, DAP MP Tony Pua warned that losing the Kajang by-election would not just bury the political career of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim but likely Pakatan Rakyat (PR) along with it.

The Petaling Jaya Utara MP also believed this would drive Barisan Nasional (BN) to devote its entire might on the by-election next month, since it allegedly predicts the same fate for PR should the opposition leader falter.

“Kajang by-election is an extremely important election for Pakatan. [If] Anwar loses Kajang, Pakatan is finished … we’re done for,” Pua told a forum on the by-election in Subang Jaya.

Pua was not alone in the prognosis. Rafizi Ramli, the PKR strategy director at the centre of the so-called “Kajang Move”, also acknowledged the gamble.

“Not winning Kajang means perhaps a certain end to certain things,” Rafizi, who was also a panellist in the forum, said in agreement.

The Election Commission (EC) set March 23 as the date for the Kajang by-election yesterday, giving all parties 12 days to campaign for votes after the nomination date of March 11.

Pua claimed that the delay in holding the by-election was a sign that BN will launch an all-out campaign against PR in Kajang.

“My guess is, BN is putting every single ammunition they have over this period to attack Kajang, convince Kajang to defeat Anwar,” said Pua.

“Because they know if Anwar falls in Kajang, that’s the end of Anwar and that’s the end of Pakatan.”

However, Pua was rapped by fellow panellist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan for his warnings of doom, with the latter urging PR to trust Kajang voters to make the right choice in the by-election.

“I don’t think you should pitch your case that way,” said the social activist and former co-chair of electoral watchdog Bersih.

“But, I think it is a significant risk for Anwar himself.”

Rounding up the forum was PAS’s Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad who admitted the significance of the by-election, but stopped short of suggesting its loss would end PR.

In a surprise move last week, PKR’s Lee Chin Cheh resigned as Kajang assemblyman, presumably to pave way for Anwar to contest the by-election.

The unforced resignation fuelled rumours that it was to allow Anwar to join the state assembly for the purpose of removing Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim from his post.

Lee won the Kajang state seat in Election 2013 with a 6,824-vote majority in the constituency that is 48 per cent Malay, 41 per cent Chinese and 10 per cent Indian.