S'WAK POLLS PKR deputy president Azmin Ali has admitted that he authorised the party's Sarawak chief Baru Bian to sign the authorisation letters for PKR candidates to contest in five contentious seats.

The decision has resulted in PKR and DAP facing mulit-cornerned fights in those seats, with the BN.

Azmin claimed he made the decision based on the mandate given to him by party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to settle the seat negotiation disputes.

"I was given the mandate in writing by the president to resolve all outstanding issues concerning the state election, including seat allocations and the candidates," he said at a function in Shah Alam today.

"I was given the mandate by the party. Can you question it? You should not question it," Azmin added.

However, he could not remember when Wan Azizah gave him the mandate.

He said the decision he made on April 7, when he signed and agreed in principle to give eight seats to DAP, includidng the five contentious seats, was not final.

At a meeting on April 11, the Pakatan Harapan presidential council, chaired by Wan Azizah, claimed it had settled seat negotiation row.

"Yes, we agreed in principle to maintain a one-to-one fight. The fact that they (DAP and PKR) didn't announce the seats and names showed that the negotiation is still taking place," Azmin said.

"It is not against the law (for Baru to sign the authorisation letter). The law is clear that someone who gets the consent from the party would be able to sign the authorisation letter.

"I have to exercise the mandate in the interest of the party and that was clearly stipulated in the mandate given by the president," Azmin added.